Peace is a lie (Remake)
by Night3603
Summary: Kuroki Kali'ka is taken to Korriban for training and learns to be Sith and serve the Empire. Along the way she finds a family and love. She soon becomes tied into a war that could destroy the galaxy. F/F warnings and Mature content.
1. Prologue

**AN: Okay, everyone. I have a treat for you. What you are about to read is the Remake for my Peace is a lie fic. Im gonna post this prologue and see the reaction. If its really good ill post the next. As of right now I only a few chapters done with this. So, please leave a review and let me know what you think.**

 **AN 2: I know a lot of you have enjoyed Peace is a lie but I have to be honest. I didn't really like my characters. They didn't have any dimension to them. Kuro was just bitch cause she was dark side Sith. To me she didn't feel like she had motivations, a personality or anything. Just doing evil things for the sake of doing evil things. SOOO one dimensional. So this remake is an attempt to fix that. Still gonna follow the Inquisitor storyline but its gonna be MUCH more original and not following the games story section by section.**

* * *

The apartment was silent, the occupants resting in their bed. The two twi'lek females were sound asleep in each others arms. The mother holding her four year old daughter to her chest as she slept.

Kanna Kali'ka was happy. She had a wonderful daughter, a comfortable life with her. It was just them. The girls father was never in the picture, having been taken away to work somewhere as a slave to the Imperial Empire.

For her part, Kanna didn't hate the Empire. Though their treatment of non-humans could be better. They had a strong military power, a solid government and while the Sith were not always the kindest of people, the Sith used their abilities to defend their Empire with a ferocity and confidence that made her feel safe in the Empire's worlds. Kanna was fine with all of that. She would take the Empires laws and rules in stride if it meant she could be with her beautiful daughter.

Kuroki Kali'ka was the love of her life...well, one of the loves of her life. The other was... Well, unavailable at the best of times. But that was okay, Kanna had Kuro and didn't need anyone else.

The little twi'lek girl snuggled into her mothers bosom, smiling in her sleep. She loved her mother, loved her life so far. She had good friends and went to a nice school in Kaas city where they lived. It wasn't all happy though. She was bullied a lot, mostly by other twi'lek's children and human children. Primarily for her skin color. A deep red that was said to be a mutation in twi'lek's. Her violet eyes were a rarity so was her black full body and facial genetic tattoos. Sharp edges and sweeping spikes ending in sharp points. They scared her peers and she was often called "mutant" or "freak" to her face. Her violet colored irises was just more ammunition, though not a very good one.

But Kuroki didn't listen to them. Not after the first time. It hurt the first time, running home after school, crying. She told her mother what happened and Kanna embraced her distraught daughter and soothed her worries. "Do not listen to them, sweetheart. You are very beautiful. What they think do not matter. What matters is what you think of yourself." She steered the crying girl to a full length mirror knelt behind her, hugging Kuro to her chest. "What do you see, darling?"

Kuro stared at herself, seeing the terrifying black markings, her red skin and violet eyes. "I look scary." She mumbled, frowning, a sadness in her voice.

Kanna smiled and kissed her daughters cheek. "You have no control over what you look like, my little one. To me, you are beautiful. Don't you think so?"

Kuro looked again, seeing her mother smiling at her. She really looked at herself. She still thought she was scary, but took her mothers words to heart. She couldn't change how she looked, so why not embrace. With that thought she really saw herself. Intimidating, but kind even cute if you looked her smile. So she did. She smiled and sure enough she could see herself being cute or even beautiful. Even if she didn't look it now. She was still young she hadn't even grown her lekku yet, but one day she would be as beautiful as her mom, and that gave her hope. So she nodded and said. "Yes, mama. You're right. I still don't think I'm beautiful, but one day I will be. I'll be as beautiful as you!" Kuro spun in her mother's arms and hugged her, kissing her cheek.

"That's my girl." Kanna said with a loving smile. Her heart swelling from the positive emotions.

A knock on the door woke up the twi'lek mother. She groaned and sat up, careful not to jostle her little one and put on a robe then left the room. Another knock was heard as she walked through her home to the front door. She glanced at the security camera to see who it was. She froze then paled.

Three figures stood at her door. One was garbed in black robes with purple lining and embroidery. The distinct feminine shape had her heart hammering in her chest. Blonde hair peeked from the hood the center figure wore. Kanna knew who this was. The other two figures were in red armor. The battle armor of the Sith Academy guards. _No...they cant be her_ _e_ _for Kuro!_ Kanna thought. Sadly there was nothing she could do if they were. If she tried to spirit her daughter away not only would Kanna be killed but Kuro would be taken or killed anyway. It was Imperial law that anyone who was Force-sensitive would be taken to Korriban for Sith training.

Kanna heard so many things about it. The violence, the underhanded power plays, the dangerous trials. Kuro would never survive! Despite her desires, Kanna opened the door, looking into the eyes of the Sith Lord Zash, the other love of her life. "Zash…" She greeted, part happy to see her again, part misery for what was about to happen.

Zash removed her cowl and smiled sadly at her long time on again, off again lover. They had meet one day when Kuro's father had been taken and the two hit it off rather well. There was no denying the connection Zash felt with the twi'lek mother. She could feel it in the Force as well as her heart. But because of her work she couldn't always be with her love. "Hello, Kanna. I.…" She sighed and frowned. "You know why I'm here." It was no question.

Kanna looked at the masked guards, tears welling in her eyes and nodded. This would be the last time she would ever see her daughter again. "Yes, I do... But Zash, please, do not do this." She begged, moving over to her lover and placed a hand near the woman's heart.

Zash sighed, taking her lovers hand and kissing it before stepping into the apartment, the two guards followed and immediately sought out the girl. Kanna didn't try to stop them. There was nothing she could do. "I'm sorry, Kanna. I really am. But you know the laws. My hands are tied. I can empathize on how hard this must be but... She has to come with me, my love."

Kanna burst into tears and hiccuping cries as the guards carried Kuro out of their room. She was cradled in one guards arms and she was at least relived to note the woman, the slighter build and smaller stature confirmed this, was being extremely gentle with her. Kuro actually snuggled into the guards chest. Kanna faced Zash, who had tears welling in her eyes as well at the pain her lover was going through. "Can't I at least say good bye? Hold her one last time? Please, Zash."

The Sith Lord smiled and nodded motioning for the guard to hand her over for a moment. The female guard complied and carefully handed the girl over. Kanna cradled her daughter to her chest and kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry, my little one. You have to go now. Please, don't hate me for this. I love you, sweetheart."

The twi'lek mother kissed her daughter again and handed her back to the guard who, once again held the child protectively and carefully and left with her companion. Zash remained behind and pulled Kanna into her arms, stroking the woman's blue skinned lekku. "I wish I didn't have to do this, my love. But I can't go against the Emperor, or the law."

Kanna nodded. "I know, Zash. Please, look after her?" She asked looking her lover in the eye, begging to be heard.

Zash smiled and kissed her Kanna on the lips. A gentle, chaste and loving kiss then pulled away. "I can't interfere in her training directly. But I promise you I will make her my apprentice when the time comes. She will be fine, my love. Believe in me."

Kanna smiled sadly, tears still in her eyes. "I always have." Zash left, leaving a griving mother alone at the loss of one more loved one, crying into the night.


	2. Korriban Training: Part 1

**AN: Here is the first chapter of this remake. Not much to say other than read and review. Some characters roles and age have been changed to more accommodate the story.**

* * *

 _ **Planet Korriban.**_

Kuroki Kali'ka awoke with a groan and tried snuggling back into her sheets. But something was wrong there wasn't that familiar warmth that her mother...where was her mother? Kuro opened her eyes and saw an unfamiliar wall facing her. Panicked she sat up and looked around. It was clear she was not at home in her mothers bed. The room was normal but different than what she was used to. There two beds in here. The one she was on and another in the opposite corner. There was a dresser at the foot of the bed against the wall and a desk in the middle. Her side was the same. There was a door that, from what she could see, led to a bathroom. Kuro then looked over at the only other door. It was the entrance to the room and her escape. She didn't know what was going on but she had to get back to her mother before she was missed. She was scared but she had to be brave.

Kuro made to get out of the bed, but just then the door opened and in walked another child. She was a human girl with red hair and green eyes. She turned around after shutting the door with a sigh. When she looked up she screamed at the sight of the twi'lek child and fell back in surprise.

Kuro winced at the thud the girl made and quickly got off the bed to help. "Are you okay?" She asked the human, offering her hand to help her up.

"Y-yeah. Didn't except anyone else to be in here." She replied, accepting the helping hand and got to her feet.

Kuro stepped back, wondering if she should ask this girl where she was. Deciding that there was nothing to be gained if she didn't she asked. "Um...where am I? And who are you?"

The girl looked at the twi'lek girl in confusion. "You weren't told?" A head shake was her answer. "Well, my name is Kory and...you're on Korriban. It's where people are taken if you're Force sensitive and trained to be Sith."

Kuro took in this information, trying to process what that meant. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep with her mother in bed. Then she was here. What happened between then and now. If what Kory was saying was true, did her mother just give her up? Kuro shook her head. No that couldn't be it. Her mother loved her. But she didn't stop whoever had taken her either.

"Um..." Kory began but didn't get to finish. There was a loud knock on their door making them both jump in fright at the sudden noise. It opened and woman stood in the doorway. She was a human and her face was emotionless. Her voice wasn't any better it was husky and was as cold as ice, add that her hair was silverish white she could be considered very cold. "Kuroki Kali'ka. My Lord requests your presence." She said to the twi'lek girl. She then looked at Kory. "Study your saber forms, Kory. You have saber training tomorrow."

Kory trembled at the presence of the woman and nodded. "Yes, Corrin. I will. Have a good day, ma'am." She said respectfully, trying not to make her saber training master angry.

"Good girl." She turned to Kuro again. "Come, Kuroki. You will be informed of what is expected of you here by my Lord." Then she turned and walked away, expecting Kuro to follow her.

Kuroki looked at her new room mate. "Should I go?"

Kory nodded. "That would be best. Don't worry, Corrin's master is Lord Zash. Shes watched our training a couple times. Shes nice...or at least shes never yelled at us like others have." Kory sighed and ushered her out the door. "You best go, don't keep the masters waiting."

Kuro nodded and hurried to catch up to the woman named Corrin, who was waiting for her at the end of a long hallway. Doors were on either side of the hallway which lead to more rooms just like her and Kory's. She caught up to the woman who was staring down at her. Kuroki shifted under the scrutiny.

"I...I'm here." She mumbled not sure what to say, as the woman wasn't moving.

"So you are." She replied and spun on her heel and stalked away. Kuro frowned and followed her. Corrin led the small child through the halls of the Sith Academy. Kuro tried to keep pace as she looked around at the new sights. People of various species walked the halls or talked in corners. There were statues of kneeling Sith and flags of the Empire at every corner. The silent warrior led Kuro up a flight stairs and along another hallway. She stopped at a door and knocked.

"It's Corrin, Master. I brought the girl."

The door opened and Corrin ushered her inside but not before speaking words of warning. "Speak only when spoken to, and with respect." She warned, then left. Leaving Kuroki to face this Lord Zash.

Kuroki stepped into Zash's office, terrified. Who was this person, what was she like, was she going to punish her already? From what Kuro could tell of the interaction between Kory and Corrin, Kuro surmised that this academy was not a happy place. So what would this "master" be like if not down right malevolent. So it was with great trepidation that Kuro came face to face with Lord Zash.

She was a beautiful blonde older woman in black and red robes with purple trim, Kuro thought them pretty. She sat hunched over her desk, reading something on a datapad. Kuro couldn't help but think. _Shes so pretty. She can't be a bad person. Pretty people aren_ _'_ _t mean._ Her innocent mind couldn't comprehend anything different. "U-um..." She stuttered her arrival.

Zash's head snapped up so fast that it startled the little twi'lek. Zash's eyes were the prettiest golden hue Kuro had ever seen. She quickly calmed down and stared in awe. "Oh, hello there. I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in." Zash said with a comforting smile which put Kuro at ease. Zash beckoned the girl over and Kuro went without hesitation. She stopped beside the tall blonde woman's chair.

"H-hi. I'm Kuroki. My friends call me Kuro." The girl declared with a small cherub like smile.

Zash giggled and smiled in return. "Hello, Kuro. You can call me Zash, or Lord Zash in public. I'm glad you are alright. I had wished to speak with you on why you are here. I'm sure you are confused, correct?"

At the mention of her circumstances Kuro frowned. "Yes. Where is my mama?" Kuro asked, tears coming to her eyes.

At the devastated look, Zash felt her heart break. How? How could she have done this to a little girl. The daughter of her lover of all people. Despite all that, Zash was going to do her best to care for Kuro. Just like she promised Kanna. It wasn't uncommon for Lords to pick an apprentice before the trials were over, nor was it uncommon to give special treatment. Why should Zash be any different?

"Oh, my sweetling. I am so sorry this had to happen. You see, you are Force-sensitive. That means by imperial law you had to be brought here. Do you understand?" Zash explained.

Kuro shook her head, sniffling as she wiped the tears away with her arm. "N-no. I want to go home to mama."

Zash got off her chair and knelt down and gathered the distraught youngling into her arms. "I know, but you can't. Not right now. If you work hard I am sure you will see your mother again." The Sith Lord tried to soothe the girls fears. She gently moved the girl at arms length. Zash smiled sadly at the pain on the girls face. "Do not worry, dear. I know your mother, she is...very special to me and I promised to keep you safe. Now I will make you a promise." Kuro listened trying to be strong. If this woman knew her mother then she was right to think she was a nice person. Even at her young age she could sense the sincerity in the woman's voice. Zash continued. "I promise to keep you safe. No matter what happens, for it will be tough and scary at times, I will always be there for you. You can come to me if you need me okay, sweetling?" Zash finished with a caring smile.

Kuro took this in and nodded. A happier smile appearing on her lips. "Okay. Thank you, Miss Zash."

Zash chuckled and pat the girls head affectionatly. "Just Zash is fine, Kuro. But you need to call me Lord Zash in public. Call it….tradition."

"Okay." The girl replied, committing the order to memory.

"Good. Now I need to explain what will be expected of you here, alright?" At Kuro's nod Zash smiled and returned to her seat. She thought for a moment. Staring at the cute twi'lek child and couldn't help her maternal instincts. She pat her robed knees. "Come sit, sweetling. Be comfortable."

Kuro hesitated. Should she sit on the woman's lap? Her mother always said not to talk to strangers. But were Zash and Kuro strangers? Not to mention Zash was someone close to her mother so it wasn't a bad thing right? Making up her mind, Kuro lifted her arms to Zash to be picked up. Zash complied and placed the girl in her lap, snaking her arms around the girls waist to gently cradle her close. _So this is what feels like? To have a love for a child like a mother should? Kanna felt this everyday? Shes so small._ Zash thought, sighing happily and began to explain.

She stared by explaining that Kuro would be trained on how to use a lightsaber and various basic forms, which she could then choose more advanced forms to learn. She explained that she would be trained in the ways of the Force. How to draw it in, use it, feel it and embrace it.

Kuro found this...oddly enticing. She was actually looking forward to these lessons. It sounded fun to her. Kuro always liked learning new things. Another thing that ostracized her from her peers at her old school. While they wanted to go play, Kuro wanted to learn math, galactic common and other alien languages. She wanted to learn to read and write. Kuro even found a profound love for starships. She wanted to learn to fly one, fix one, build one. Almost anything there was to learn, Kuro wanted to learn it. So to be told she would gain knowledge of things she had never considered before got her excited.

But then, she was told something else. The Sith were not known for kindness or mercy. They were psychopaths at worst. Killers at best. They were trained to be that way. Zash explained to the youngling that she may have to do things she didn't want to. Like kill to defend herself. Torture information from someone. Venture into tombs, kill animals, physically beat her fellow acolytes. Now this...this was something Kuro didn't want to do.

"You will have to do these things, little one. You must. It will make you strong. Being violent, killing, is not evil if done for the right reasons. The Sith code teaches us this." Zash then recited the Sith code. "Peace is a lie. There is only passion. Through passion I gain strength. Through strength I gain power. Through power I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall set me free."

Kuro was transfixed throughout the recital. The words circled through her mind, they were haunting and felt so familiar though she was sure she had never heard them before. Zash looked down at the youngling and asked. "Do you know what they mean, Kuro?"

Kuro shook her head. "No." She said, though she was in awe of the words and wanted to know more. Her eyes were eager and Zash noticed.

But instead of telling her what they meant she said. "Think on them. Tell me what you feel."

Kuro liked to think she was a smart child, all knowing for a four year old. She thought on the words at face value. Then looked underneath. What could they mean? Then an answer that seemed appropriate hit her. It may not be the right one but it was one she thought worked. "The Force is strength and with it I can protect mama?" She said though it came out more of a question. Zash tilted her head, listening to the rather smart child.

Though her answer was basic, something expected in a child, it was also rather profound as well. Essentially that is part of what it meant. Emotions, passion fueled a Sith's power. The desire to protect, the desire to destroy ones enemies is what made a Sith strong. But Zash saw more. While most Sith saw love or mercy or any form of kindness as a weakness, Zash saw potential. While she didn't believe the Jedi code was entirely correct she also didn't believe the Sith code was entirely accurate either. If there was one thing Zash believed it was that balance was always there. Where there was good their was evil. The Jedi saw too much good and it drove them to inaction a lot of the time. The Sith saw too much evil and it drove them to be the figures of evil in many eyes. Zash knew there was a better way, something in the middle and she would teach Kuro as such.

Zash mentioned this to the girl. "Do you see, Kuro? The Jedi, our counterparts in the Republic, are not all good, just like not all Sith are evil. Most Sith or Jedi are not trained to see such views. But some see it anyway and follow that path. So I want you to remember the Sith code and understand what it means." So Zash told her on all that she knew of the Sith code and where it began and what it all meant. She figured she might as well kick start Kuro's training, give her an edge. _After all, since when were the trials and training ever about being fair?_ She thought with a mental smirk.

* * *

 _ **Kuroki was sitting beneath a tree in the green grass on a cliff side overlooking an ocean of blue. It was such a serene sight that Kuro felt easily drowsy. But she didn't want to sleep. She wanted to know more about the girl next to her, whose head was laying on Kuro's shoulder. She had learned a lot about the girl. She was of the togruta species and her name was Ashara Zavros. She was golden brown skinned, and she had a white toned face in contrast to Kuro's dark black tattoo like lines. She was from the Republic being trained as a Jedi. Ashara was a rational girl, always eager to prove herself. She had no tolerance for decisions or actions she viewed as stupid or ineffective. Ashara had also expressed her desire to know the secrets of the Force, a desire Kuro shared among other things with her new friend.**_

 _ **The dreams had begun when Kuro started her training on Korriban. They were just visions of the girl at first. Then she began to hear her voice. Cute and higher pitched, one you would expect from a female child. Then a year into Kuro's training the two began to interact within their dreams. They quickly became friends. It was weird at first but the pair got over it and enjoyed the moments they came together.**_

 _ **Kuro was listening to the cute girl prattle on about her ancestors and venting her frustrations about her masters, Jedi Master Ryen and Jedi Master Ocera. "Master Ryen is so frustrating. I feel like hes holding me back, I'm better then all of them with a practice saber so why is he giving me partners who are less skilled than me? There's no challenge and I win every time!"**_

 _ **Kuro laughed and stroked the girls back to calm her down, something her mother had done for her on some occasions. "I don't know, Ashara. But I know you deserve better than that."**_

 _ **Ashara smiled at her friend. "Thanks, Kuro. This means a lot to me when you just listen to me vent my problems. I'm sorry if they're annoying."**_

 _ **Kuro shook her head. "Never, I like listening to you." Came the innocent reply.**_

 _ **Ashara giggled and smiled in thanks. "What about you? Hows your training going?"**_

 _ **At first the two girls were disheartened that one was training to be Sith and the other a Jedi. Would they be enemies one day? Neither one liked that thought. So instead they wanted to be friends, even if one day that friendship may come to an end. They would enjoy it while it lasted.**_

 _ **Kuro hesitated and frowned. What should she say? Kuro had excelled at the knowledgeable aspects of her training. The history lessons, the Force lessons and even military tactics she was given. But to hear how good Ashara was with a lightsaber made her debate revealing she had no skill in such forms.**_

 _ **She sighed and explained all she could, however. She didn't want to lie and hide things from her friends. That's not what friends did right? "I'm no good." Kuro said. "My overseer, Harkon, says I'm just a worthless alien and will never succeed. I fail at every lightsaber training session we have and I can tell Corrin is getting upset with me." She explained with a heavy heart.**_

 _ **Ashara suddenly felt bad for basically bad mouthing inexperienced lightsaber trainees to her friends face, who was one as well. "I-I'm sorry, Kuro. I didn't know you were having so much trouble."**_

 _ **Kuro smiled sadly. That was just like Ashara to try and make her feel better. "Its okay. Its not your fault that I just cant get it."**_

 _ **Ashara frowned when suddenly an idea came to her. She grinned and jumped to her feet arms wide. "I've got it!" At Kuro's confused expression Ashara explained. "We can help each other here, Kuro don't you see? I'll teach everything I know on lightsaber dueling and you can teach me about the Force. You said you were good at that right?" She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. "To be honest I'm pretty bad at channeling the Force."**_

 _ **Kuro thought for a moment. It sounded like a good idea. While they slept and spent time together in their dreams, though the pair still had no idea HOW this was happening, they could use this to their advantage. They could learn from each other then further their training in the waking world and then do it all again the next time they slept. A win win!**_

 _ **Kuro got excited at the idea and jumped to her feet. "That's a great idea! Let's do it!" The two were excited and got to work, furthering their enjoyment of their time together.**_

* * *

 **Korriban: Two years later.**

Kuro was awoken by a gentle shake. She opened her bleary eyes and saw Kory at her bedside. She was dressed in her training gear. "Come on, Kuro wake up."

Kuro groaned and shooed her friend away with a flip of her hand. "Don't wanna..."

Kory smiled and shook her again. "Just because you hate Harkon doesn't mean you can skip lessons." It was a surprise to both of them that Harkon seemed to harbor a special hatred and resentment for Kuro. The twi'lek didn't understand but she hated him in return so it shouldn't have been surprising really. With a dramatic sigh Kuro got ready for her lessons, already missing her time with Ashara.

The pair walked down the hall to one of the few classrooms for some non-physical training. They entered the room and immediately regretted it. Ffon, a pure-blooded Sith and his group were the only ones there. Kory and Kuro disliked them. Ffon had made their lives a living hell since day one. It was worse for Kory only because she had already been subject to his torment a few months before Kuro came to Korriban. At least they had each other now.

The two were immediate friends and relied on each other when things got tough, which happened often. They were each others oasis in a desert of misery. But through out their training they knew that because of the torment they received from not only their fellow acolytes but their trainers as well would only make them stronger.

The only person who didn't seem to hate them was Corrin. While she was demanding and strict she never insulted them, never actually hurt them, not like Harkon did. Kuro had to wonder if it was because she was a follower of Zash or if she was just that way. Maybe both?

Kory and Kuro took their place in a corner of the room away from the boys and kept to themselves while they waited for Harkon to show his damned face. Acolytes began streaming in at that time and Kuro noted their were less than their were yesterday. This was how the Sith worked. Survival of the fittest. The strong prevailed, the weak were killed. The only reason Kuro was alive was because she showed a particular aptitude to the Force. As for Kory, she was exceptionally skilled with lightsaber forms and militaristic strategy. But they had their weaknesses as well so they feared for their lives everyday.

Harkon came soon after and Kuro tensed at the sight of him. Her body and mind instinctively reacted in fear, and that fear led to anger and hatred for the man. She couldn't help but wonder, what horror had he decided to expose them to this time.

The week before, the group were taken to a dueling room with cages lining the walls inside were people and some native animals. They were tasked with fighting a challenger to the death. Not everyone made it, Kuro just barely. She was lucky or was that unlucky? Her adversary was older than her, maybe a teenager. But she had no training on fighting to speak of or show for. She was a human girl and she was terrified. Kuro didn't want to do it, but had no choice. If she didn't she would die. But wouldn't that be better than knowing she killed an innocent girl in cold blood? Kuro, wanted to believe it. But she wanted to live more, she wanted to see her mother again. She wanted to meet Ashara, even if she would be a Jedi. So with selfish desires, everyday for that week she killed and she succeeded in her trial.

So what did Harkon have planned this time? Kuro didn't need to wait long. "Are you ready for your next trials, worms?" He sneered. No one said anything. Why would they? It wouldn't matter if they were ready or not. They had to do it if they wanted to continue living. "Be happy, nothing life threatening this time." Somehow Kuro didn't believe that, something felt wrong. "You have all been here for a few years. You may have gained friends, maybe even got comfortable living the way you have. Today that ends. It is time for you to make your sacrifice. To show your dedication to your training." He announced.

Sacrifice? What did he mean? Kuro began to shake, she didn't like this. She turned to Kory as Harkon went around to announce to each student what their sacrifice was. "K-Kory..."

Kory made to move to her friend but a gauntlet clad hand stopped her. She turned to see Corrin's ever stoic, piercing stare. "Kory." She said. "Come with me. Your sacrifice starts now." With that, she dragged Kory away leaving Kuro all alone in a room with people who hated her.

Soon Harkon came over to her and smiled a sadistic, menacing smile. "I know just the sacrifice for you, Kuroki."

Kuro stood in a dark room. The only light was shining on her and the other occupant. She had a real lightsaber in hand, activated and ready to bring death. She was shaking with wide eyes. How could they do this? Why did she have to do this? All those killings was for nothing. All the pain she had experienced both physical and mental was for nothing. She continued on only to someday see her mother again. But now? None of that mattered. Kneeling before her was her mother who was staring at her with loving and understanding eyes. Kuroki Kali'ka's sacrifice was to kill her mother. The only one in galaxy she loved more than anything. And for what? To show she was dedicated to her training? She didn't even want to be here! "Its okay, my little one." Kanna soothed.

Kuro shook her head. "N-n-no its not o-o-okay." She cried, the lightsaber trembling violently in her hand. The red beam giving off a sinister light. "I don't w-want to d-do this. I l-love you m-mama."

Kanna nodded. "I know, Kuro. I love you too. I felt that someday this may happen when they took you away. I'm ready to do anything it takes to make sure you keep living, keep going. Even if it means giving up my own life for you. I always knew there was something great in you, Kuro. Be strong, it will all be okay."

Those words provoked something inside the twi'lek child. With her free hand she stroked her growing lekku, trying still her nerves. Her mother was right. Kuro was smart, becoming skilled and stronger in the Force everyday. She could be something great, maybe even change the Empire so atrocities like this didn't need to continue. That didn't mean she was going to be okay after all was done. She could already feel her heart shattering. Maybe that is what her trainers wanted all along, maybe that's what Zash wanted.

Zash. The woman had quickly gained the little girls heart. Kuro came to love Zash. Every week Kuro had gone to Zash's office and told her about her training and things she had done and learned. Zash comforted her or encouraged her where she needed to. Kuro had never felt so cared for since being separated from her mother. But now? Kuro was beginning to have doubts about it all. Did Zash even care about her at all? Wasn't she supposed to be here, maybe stop this from happening? Perhaps not. She said so herself that she couldn't interfere in the training itself but she would do what she could to protect her. Kuro understood she couldn't be protected from everything, even though she wished otherwise. She held on to the hope that Zash cared, however, because after this she would surely need Zash and Kory, that is if Kory was even alive after her sacrifice.

With a heavy heart the small six year old child stepped toward her ever loving mother. "I'm so sorry, mommy. I really really love you."

Kanna smiled at her daughter and embraced her, stroking her short growing lekku soothingly. It sent shivers down Kuro's spine. She could feel the love, though her mother spoke them anyway. "I will always love you, sweetling." With loving words exchanged, Kuro pulled away and brought the lightsaber to poise over her mothers heart. With tears in her eyes she watched her mothers own eyes, and thrust. She watched in morbid awe as her mothers expressed pain as the light faded from them.

Kanna slumped to the floor, lifeless. Her life given to her daughter.

From a hidden booth in the shadows Kuro's class watched alongside Harkon, Corrin and Lord Zash who had come to see how things turned out. For once there no sneers or hateful glares towards the trembling twi'lek girl. They watched as Kuroki sat there, crying. Then something in the atmosphere shifted. They could all feel it. It couldn't be anything else but the gathering of Force power and it was coming from Kuro. "So much…" Breathed an awed Harkon.

Then suddenly Kuro lifted her face to the ceiling and screamed letting all her emotion explode. She screamed out her sorrow and loss for her mother. Screamed at the rage and hatred she had for her masters. Her hatred for Zash. Screamed for her desire to be comforted by Ashara. At that moment Kuroki Kali'ka had died with her mother. She was only Kuro, Sith acolyte.

Zash hated herself for what she had done. She had thrown the suggestion to Harkon about what to do for Kuroki's sacrifice. It felt wrong to betray her desired apprentice, felt wrong to betray her lover Kanna. But Zash knew it would make her stronger and help her survive the trials. She had felt the burning rage in Kuroki's very soul at this betrayal. But Zash would take all the hate if it meant Kuroki would survive.

Zash sighed as she looked over the result of the Sacrifice Trial. Out of the fifteen remaining students of Harkon's class only thirteen remained. The two that failed were still alive but were no longer acolytes, but rather disgraces to the Sith and the Empire. Zash saved Kuroki's and Kory's results for last. Zash had noticed how attached Kuroki was to Kory so she had looked after her as well. She was actually surprised on how adept Kory was in a lot of things most predominantly the lightsaber forms. Kory would also make an excellent apprentice, that is if she was still as skilled with one arm.

Kory's sacrifice was that of her left arm, cut at the shoulder by her own hand. It was to show her dedication and skill with the lightsaber to prove she was just as skilled with one arm. For her sake, Zash hoped she could prove her worth, just so Kuroki could have a close friend in apprenticeship.

Just then Kuroki came into her office. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, but her expression. Her expression chilled Zash to the bone. It was blank, yet disdainful. Zash could tell that the Kuroki she had known was buried deep inside. This was Kuro, the future Sith. She had to do something, explain herself. But how? Kuroki was smart she would've figured out somehow that Zash was involved.

"Kuroki, sweetling. What can I do for you?" She asked, hoping to soothe the girl.

There was a pause. "Am I?" Kuroki asked. Her voice was hollow and without feeling. _What have I done?_ Thought Zash.

"Are you….what?" Zash asked for clarification.

"Do I mean anything to you? Have I and Mommy meant anything to you?" Kuroki demanded, her voice now changing to that of anger. Zash could feel it and could sense the growing Force power inside the little one. It was already so strong. If Kuro decided to attack her, Zash didn't know if she could stop her and not hurt her in order to keep her life.

"Of course!" Zash answered immediately. It was, apparently, the wrong answer.

Kuroki roared in anger. "Then why did you make me kill her? To prove something? To get rid of a loose end? To break me? Why, _Lord_ Zash!?" Kuroki sneered her title, as if it meant nothing to her. By demanding and being so disrespectful to the woman, it probably didn't.

Zash was crushed. Is that what Kuroki really thought? That Zash wanted to kill her one and only lover? To break such a sweet girl? "No….no I did not want that at all, sweetling."

"Stop calling me that! You don't deserve to call me that! Not you! Not anymore!"

Zash ignored the indignation and pressed on. "I know it was hard, I know how it feels. Believe me. But it was the only way. You are strong in the Force, Kuroki. But that will not be enough to keep you alive here. I had to do this. Kanna agreed. I spoke to her before the trials started. She said she would do anything to help you survive. With her sacrifice, her desire to see you live, should be enough of a push on your anger and hatred to get past anything thrown at you. I will take it all, your hate your malice if that is what you want, I deserve it. But I did this for you, Kuroki." Zash tried her hardest to make her see, she hoped it was enough.

Kuroki glared at the older woman. Someone she used to trust. She felt so betrayed, so hurt by Zash's actions. She didn't know if she could ever forgive her. She hoped she could. Because somewhere deep down, Kuroki still loved Zash. She couldn't say anything after Zash's explanation. Instead she gave a whimpering snarl and turned and ran out of the room. She needed Kory. She needed Ashara. She knew without a doubt that those two wouldn't betray her and hurt her like her supposed second mother had.

Kuro burst into her shared, sealing the door shit and throwing herself onto her bed, weeping. She still couldn't believe it. Zash had her hand in the events leading to her mothers death. "Kuro? Are you okay?" Came the soft sound of Kory's voice. It was strained, as if she was in pain. Kuro snapped her eyes to her friend ready to apologize for her behavior. But when she saw her, Kuro gasped.

"K-Kory..." She breathed. Kory was sitting up in her bed, her back against the wall in a reclining position. She looked fine except that her entire left arm was missing. A white linen bandage was wrapped around her shoulders to keep the kolto gel in place.

Kory just smiled sadly at her friend. "Does it look weird?" She asked, self conscious of her predicament. Kory could still feel where her arm used to be, a phantom pain. Her brain willed her left arm to move, and Kory feel it but it wasn't there. "This is gonna take some getting used to." Kory joked.

Kuro could tell that the human girl was trying to be strong, but she could see past it. The pain and misery in her eyes. Without a thought, Kuro got off her bed and joined Kory. She threw her arms around the girl and cried. "I'm so sorry."

"Its o-okay." Kory tried to play it off but she couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears broke free and she wrapped her remaining arm around the twi'lek girl, mindful of the sensitive lekku. "Who am I kidding? This sucks, Kuro. I hate this place! I hate them!" She cried.

At that moment, all Kuro could feel was seething rage. It was sad at such a young age her life was no longer hers. She and Kory were tools of the Sith from now until death, but that didn't mean they could control everything. The pain was still too raw to do anything other than grieve, but Kuro wasn't stupid. She knew one day she would have to get past this pain or it would consume her. She couldn't let that happen or her mothers death would have been in vain. But today wasn't that day. Today, and for months Kuro would grieve her mother and be there for Kory. They only had each now, Kuro couldn't trust Zash anymore.

The two lay in Kory's bed in a comforting embrace. Kuro recalled doing this once before with her human friend. They had talked about themselves. Kory told her she was left handed and enjoyed almost anything that had to do with the outdoors and since coming to the academy she picked up the lightsaber forms really quickly. She liked animals and seemed to have a connection of sorts to them. Kuro had seen it with with her own eyes when their class was out in Korriban wilderness and a group of tuk'ata, k'lor'slugs and even a couple shyracks descended on them, ready to feast on their bones. Yet Kory had somehow coaxed them into submission and ran them off. She didn't draw her practice blade nor did she shout and threaten them. Just her mere presence made them docile and they left them alone.

Kuro, for her part, told her new friend that she liked to learn things. Kory joked and called her a nerd for liking things that seemed so boring and dull to most people. Kuro also told her that she liked starships and wished to have one of her own some day. She also expressed her dislike of her small stature, even for a child. She would get older but not much bigger, much to her consternation.

It was a fun moment in time, where the two girls could just be kids and talk or gossip. Their situation made these moments all the sweeter when they came. Just like now. Kory had cried herself to sleep and Kuro kept a hold of her. Kuro felt something deep inside that told her to protect Kory. So she would, and as painful as this day had been, she wasn't going to let it destroy her. It wasn't much longer after that that Kuro drifted off to sleep, no longer able to stay awake. Kory following suit, the two slept together to escape the pain misery of the days events.

* * *

 _ **She wasn't surprised when she opened her eyes to see the familiar sight of green grass, blue skies and blue oceans. She was at their tree again, Ashara and hers. Kuro looked around but didn't see the togruta anywhere. Where was she? She was always here, with her. Was this a different dream? "Ashara." She called out, almost desperately. "Ashara!" She shouted again, scared now.**_

 _ **As if her name summoned her, the togruta girl came into view, via her dropping from a branch above her. "Kuro? Are you okay? I'm sorry I wanted to surprise you I..." She was interrupted by the twi'lek throwing herself at her friend, clinging to her and crying on her shoulder. "K-Kuro? What happened? Are you okay?" She asked again, surprised at this new side of her friend.**_

 _ **Kuro shook her head. "No. Ashara...I..." All the pain came rushing back. Her mothers death, Zash's betrayal, the deaths of innocents by her own hand. It all came out. "I hate it here, Ashara. The pain they put us through the things they make us do. I'm just a kid, but I've already killed people! Other kids just to survive! They brought my mother here. They...she...she made me kill her!"**_

 _ **Ashara was stunned, her eyes wide as she held her friend. Was Sith training really that bad? That they forced kids to murder one another, murder loved ones? The togruta didn't know what to do, didn't know what to say to comfort her friend. "Kuro…." Was all she could say. "I'm here."**_

 _ **Suddenly, Kuro was angry. "It's not fair!" She snarled, pushing away from her surprised friend. The look on Kuro's face scared Ashara, it was twisted into a look of malice and hate, something she had been told a Sith looked like. She backed up a step or two subconsciously as Kuro hissed at her. "Why do I have to be here? While you get to be safe and sound with the Jedi! No pains, no loss of life, loss of limb! My friend had to cut her own arm off, Ashara! To show them, to prove to them she was willing to do anything to be Sith! Because this life is all she has. This life is all I have now! My mother is dead, someone I cared for betrayed me, made me kill her! I only have Kory to share the pain with and we have nothing left but to fight and kill and prove we are good enough to be Sith!" Kuro paused, hyperventilating after her tirade. To calm herself down she repeated the Sith code out loud.**_

" _ **Peace is a lie, There is only passion.  
Through passion, I gain strength.  
Through strength, I gain power.  
Through power, I gain victory.  
Through victory, my chains are broken.  
The Force shall set me free."**_

 _ **During her chant Ashara witnessed a swirling purple and red energy around her friend. It terrified her. What was happening to Kuro? "K-Kuro?" She whispered with a stutter, scared to break the silence but determined to make sure her friend was alright. Kuro looked calmer now, the energy had quickly dissipated as Kuro looked up at the togruta.**_

 _ **After she had calmed down she felt terrible for snapping at Ashara like she had. What was wrong with her? Ashara didn't deserve any of that, she was only trying to help. ""I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to.…" Neither girl said anything more and before they could think to do so, their dream world began to go black signifying their return to the waking world.**_

* * *

 **Tyhton: Jedi Temple**

Ashara woke with a gasp, sitting straight up holding a hand to her furiously beating heart. Once again she had dreamed of Kuro but it was different this time. Kuro was different, she terrified her. She didn't know what to do about this. What was going on? Were these just dreams, vision? Or something else?

She needed some advice. The normal thing to do would be to seek her masters and ask for council. However she was afraid they would do something to make her stop dreaming of Kuroki, a Sith student. Besides, she didn't want them to know and she didn't want to stop dreaming of her, seeing her. She just felt it wouldn't be right to be without her and she didn't know why. What she did know was someone who could give her some guidance. Shi'ara. Determination overtook her and she jumped out of bed and quickly got ready for the day. Then sought out the Force prodigy.

Shi'ara was, in essence the embodiment of the light side of the Force. She was kind and loving, never saying a harsh or negative word. Though did have a nasty desire to tease people, but it never got as far as offensive or rude. She was a beautiful human girl with golden blonde hair that could put the suns light out of business. A heart shaped face and beautiful green almond shaped eyes that sparkled like gems.

Ashara always felt at peace around the teenage human. It was an effect that wasn't exclusive to the togruta. Almost everyone felt at peace around her. Everyone loved her, listened to her. She imparted wisdom that far surpassed that of any member of the Jedi order. It was as if the Force told her secrets no one else was privy to and Ashara needed that wisdom right now.

Dressed in her training garb and ready for the day she left her dorm rooms. Trekking across the green fields of the Jedi Academy on Tython. After a small trek she found the teenager sitting lotus style, meditating over a trickling brook. Her eyes were closed but Ashara saw her smile and call to her, though didn't move from her position. "Hello, little Ashara." Came the loving and gentle voice of Shi'ara Kin'ai. It was lyrical, beautiful and barely above a whisper.

No one could ever surprise her so Ashara took it in stride. "H-Hi….um….Shi'ara. I hope I'm not bothering you." She greeted meekly, a small smile forming on her lips. Already her disturbing dream didn't feel so upsetting.

Shi'ara opened her eyes now and lowered her feet to the stream, the water breaking around her ankles. She smiled at the gentle feeling.

"Never, Ashara. I always time for my little stalker." She teased.

Ashara blushed and pouted. "I don't follow you that much..." Shi'ara just quirked a perfectly plucked eyebrow, a smile on her lips. Ashara blushed deeper in embarrassment. "Okay maybe that much..."

Shi'ara laughed and immediately Ashara relaxed. The teenagers soothing voice putting her at ease.

"You are just too cute, Ashara. Now, let us settle why you are here. Tell me about this dream." She said as she walked over onto the lush green grass, feeling the blades tickled the bottom of her feet and sat underneath a nearby tree.

"How do you always know?" Ashara asked, dumbfounded. Even though she knew Shi'ara had wisdom beyond her years it still came as a surprise every time. Shi'ara just smiled and didn't answer further adding to the mystery of the human. Ashara sighed and sat down next to the wise teenager and began to explain what had been happening recently.

The dreams, the talks and interactions with Kuroki Kali'ka, a Sith acolyte, and more recently Kuro's break down. "I don't know what to do. I want to help her but she got so angry last time I tried. Please tell me, is there anything I can do?"

Shi'ara listened to everything, not once interrupting. She knew what was going on. She could see the connection the two had. _So lucky, little Ashara. To be so connected to your_ _F_ _orc_ _e-_ _mate at such a young age_. Shi'ara knew why Ashara was having dreams of Kuro. They were Force-mates. Two people connected so deeply the Force helped them seek each other through their dreams.

Shi'ara also saw the trials Kuro was going to go through and how much pain she was in, both physically and mentally. Kuro needed Ashara. She needed comfort and support. "Ashara." She began. The togruta gave her all of her attention. Shi'ara smiled at this. "Kuro is your Force-mate. This is why you have been having dreams of her. Why you are able to interact with her through them. She is going through a tough time, Ashara. Even if she gets angry. Even if she yells at you, threatens you, do not abandon her. Comfort her, support her, give her strength to endure her Sith trials. She will need you."

Ashara was stunned. Even at six years old she knew what a Force-mate was. In other words a soul mate. It meant Kuro, in the future, would be her lover. Someone she would be with in life, and then together when they returned to the Force. As cliched and sappy as it sounded, Kuro was Ashara's one true love.

"Wha...huh?" Ashara attempted.

Shi'ara giggled and pat the girls little arm. "Do not think to hard on it. It is for the future. All you need focus on is being there for Kuro, no matter what. Also, do not tell her she is your Force-mate, not yet. She does not need to know right now, nor does she need any more worries or stress. Help her get through her coming trials and lessons. You can cross the Force-mate bridge when you come to it. Understand?"

A lot was thrown at Ashara. She tried to wrap her mind around it all. She got the gist. Kuro is her Force-mate, don't tell her this, help her through her troubling times. Ashara nodded. "Y-yeah. Yeah I got it. I think." The togruta smiled so beautifully and it warmed Shi'ara's heart. "Thank you so much, Shi'ara. You're amazing. What would I ever do without you?"

The teenager laughed covering her mouth the back her hand. "Probably worry the lekku off your pretty little head, of course."

Ashara pouted and pushed her older friend and stood up. "You're so mean." She grumbled playfully, mock stomping away from the still laughing human. Ashara made her way back to Jedi Temple to do her training for the day. With her mind clear, a goal in mind, Ashara threw herself into her training. Tonight she would help her future Force-mate with everything she had, even if she would be rebuked. _I_ _'_ _ll always be there for you, Kuro._

* * *

 **AN: And there you have it. Let me know how I did or if you may have an idea for more on this chapter. I may have ended it too soon but at the time of writing I couldn't think of anything else.**


	3. Korriban Training: Part 2

**AN: So far you all seem to really enjoy this. I hope the trend keeps going. Means I'm doing good.**

 **Edit: So i failed to make mentions of something and it upset a few people and for that i am truly sorry. It was unforgivable. This chapter has rape involved. I dont condone it nor do i like it but it was necessary for Kuro's progression. If you do consider rape okay...Say Hello to Kuro for me, you'll see what i mean in the next chapter. *Deep bow of apology***

* * *

 **Korriban: Fours years later.**

After her Sacrifice trial, Harkun noticed a change in Kuro, besides the obvious pain killing her own mother gave her. Kuro threw herself into her training, almost embracing it. It made the overseer smile. She was still not the best at lightsaber forms but she had improved. Her Force potential had skyrocketed. She was already more powerful than her senior acolytes and they had been in training for years and twice her age.

The overseer wanted to test her limits further. To see how far she was willing to go. He had her train with a torture and interrogation instructor Lord Samus. He was a tall broad shouldered man with a jovial disposition. Despite that he was an amazing instructor in torture.

For two years Kuro trained with him, everyday. At first, she was hesitant to cause any amount of pain on anyone intentionally. But as the months past she came to find she had a talent for it. So she excelled at memory mining, torture and interrogation. What she never did howerver, was mind control or anything of the sort. After her betrayel she would NEVER allow such a thing. It angered beyond imagining. Lord Samus learned this the hard way and had a nasty scar to prove it. He didn't punish her though, he understood. He wasn't much for mind manipulation either but it was something he had to teach. Lord Samus was immensely pleased with his student beyond that and reported as such to the overseer. Harkun was thrilled. Kuro had quickly showed immeasurable promise. She was his star student, and everyone knew it.

Kory, especially, was impressed with her twi'lek friend. The two were sitting in their room, on Kuro's bed, side by side. They were just enjoying each others company before bed. They were talking, mostly about nothing particular. "What's it like? Having a sister?"

Not too long ago Kory had told the twi'lek girl about her family. Her mother who had passed away after giving birth to her. Her father who worked hard to provide for her older sister and herself. He wasn't around much because of it so that only left her sister to take care of her. Kory smiled as she remembered her loving sister, Lex. "It's….one of the greatest things ever, Kuro. She protected me, cared for me, even played with me when no one else would. No matter how stupid the game was. She was eight years older than me, so she'd be eighteen now."

Kuro smiled, happy to hear of something positive for a change. "Do you miss her?"

Kory nodded. "Everyday. Nothing quite like having a sister. Someone who's really close to you, like no one else can be." Kuro nodded as well. Then her mind began to race. She was older than Kory, not by much. Kory missed her family. She had been through a lot, losing an arm, being alone until Kuro arrived. So why shouldn't this be a good idea?

The twi'lek grinned at her friend and declared. "Well, what if I become your sister? That way you'll always be with family."

Kory looked at her friend, dumbstruck. Then burst out laughing, falling into her friends lap. Kuro pouted, not expecting that reaction from the human. What did she say? "What's so funny?"

"I-I'm sorry…." Kory said between laughs. "I just….didn't expect that from you. I'd love to be your sister." She said with sincerity. Kory smiled at the twi'lek and hugged her around the waist. "Thanks….it means a lot to me that you care so much."

"Of course I care. You're the only one I trust. The only one I can rely on. The least I can do is make you happy somehow." Kuro responded with a grin.

"Thanks, sis."

* * *

Kuro was fourteen now. Today she was going to begin her advanced classes in Sith sorcery. This would be a difficult undertaking, she was told. To be able to master this art she needed to become more attuned to the dark side. She would have to let her negative emotions fester and grow. Her previous training and experiences made this easy. She just thought about her mother, how she still loved her and then let her rage take over. Not anger at her mother, no. But to another woman who came to be a mother to her, then ripped it away, like she ripped open her heart. Lord Zash.

It didn't come as a surprise to Kuro that no other students were hear but herself. For the past week, Kuro had learned as much as she could about Sith sorcery. It was almost impossible to fully master, but Kuro wanted power so no one. No one! Could take advantage of her and her loved ones ever again.

Speaking of loved ones. Lord Zash was the only other person in the room with her. Kuro had been instructed to go to the upper level to the Sorcery classroom. The room was actually impressive to Kuro. At the other end were statues of kneeling, robed Sith. Frozen in meditation. Beneath each one was a cushion, a place to sit or kneel to meditate. The rest of the room was just barren flooring with purple flamed braziers on the walls leading to the door.

Kuro, out of conditioned respect, got down on one knee and bowed her head. "My Lord." She greeted, though with effort.

Zash smiled as kindly as she could. After their blow out Zash distanced herself, but continued to watch over her lovers little one. She watched her grow from a small child to a teenager. Her growth was almost explosive. Kuro was six foot three. Her lekku had grown and reached the small of her back. Her body filled out well, she was already a woman at the age of fourteen. "Hello, Kuroki, my little sweetling. Though I suppose not so little anymore, hm?" Kuro didn't say anything, but she was secretly glad Zash had complimented her. Zash didn't take her silence personally. Instead she began her instruction. "I will be instructing you on Sith magic, or Sorcery. This will not be easy, Kuro. You will learn about rituals, artifacts and other information from holocrons. This will be a test that thousands upon thousands of Sith have failed with their very lives. Are you ready to begin, Kuroki?"

Kuro, without hesitation nodded. "Yes, Lord Zash. I will not fail." She said with so much conviction that Zash couldn't help but believe her. Kuro really had grown so much. Zash hoped she was ready, for if she wasn't, then Kuro would perish.

* * *

Kory was in a class of four for advanced Sith warriors. She had chosen the marauder class. Her former classmates had mocked her for her choice. Sith warriors in this class mostly used two lightsabers, one in each hand to constantly assault their opponents with speed and power. It was obvious why they mocked her, Kory only had one arm, her right arm.

Over the years after her sacrifice, Kuro had helped Kory get used to her single arm. She had even taught Kory a little trick which would help her in her class. Kory suppressed a smirk. She was the best warrior they had and she was going to prove it by shoving her lightsabers in her class mates guts.

The reason the advanced Sith training was so dangerous was because there were no longer restrictions on equipment. During basic Sith training the students could only use practice sabers. Non-lethal sabers that simulated a real one. If you struck an opponents arm the shock would render the arm useless, making it feel like you arm had been cut off. But not here. No, here in the advanced courses they had access to real lightsabers. They had to craft their own of course. Kory had crafted several and perfected the art. She had four strapped to her belt underneath her black and red hooded Sith jacket.

Kory couldn't wait for the training to begin. Their teacher was Corrin who was the best lightsaber duelist on Korriban. Her stoic demeanor and brutal strikes made it almost impossible to read her or even take advantage of any openings. Kory had watched her fight before. She was flawless in her eyes.

As she got older and entered her teenage years she began to notice things. She would catch herself staring a little too long at Corrin during her training. More often than not it got her beaten because she wasn't paying attention to her opponents.

She had even stared at Kuro, who had grown into a beautiful, albeit, deadly woman. Whenever Kory thought about them, or any pretty girl she happened to see, she would feel flushed and hot. She didn't know what these feelings were so she had looked them up and found out what it was.

Kory was attracted to women. More specifically, she had a major crush on Corrin. So it was with no small amount of delight that Kory watched Corrin slowly pace in front of them. "You are here to be warriors. Warriors of unstoppable darkness that will destroy our enemies from the front lines. You will harass, you will slaughter, you will destroy anything and everything in your path to accomplish your goals. I am here to teach you how to do that." She looked them all in the eye and continued. "You will learn to channel your fear, your hatred and anger to purge yourself of weakness. While you are not inquisitors or standard Force users you must learn to combine your combat prowess with bursts of force power to keep your opponents constantly off guard. You must be brutal, you must be merciless, let nothing stop you from achieving your goals. Now, pair up so we can begin." She ordered. The four other students; a Sith pureblood girl, two humans males, and a female zabrak immediately paired together. The pureblood and zabrak went to one side and the two humans to the other leaving Kory without a partner. Kory didn't care, she knew she could take them all on if that's what Corrin ordered. Corrin seemed to sense this confidence and frowned in thought. Kory just stared at her, grinning. "Kory, it seems you are eager. Too eager." Then she said to the other students. "Change of plans! Forget the pairing. Instead you four will be paired...against Kory."

Kory began to chuckle. Finally, something worthy of her. While the four students seemed confused on this order they didn't question it. The lined up in front of her and drew their red lightsabers, smirking at her.

Kory laughed, actually laughed out loud at them. They snarled in anger at her audacity. The pathetic cripple wouldn't beat them. Corrin walked past them, past Kory and whispered so only she could hear. "Don't disappoint me, Kory." Then continued on to lean against the wall. "Fight until I say stop. Begin!"

Kory decided to show off and pull her trump card right away. She wanted to impress Corrin and show her that even if she was crippled with one arm she was still the strongest. She drew one lightsaber and used the Force to levitate it. It activated with a sharp hiss and floated beside her. Kory did this with the other three then drew her the last in her hand. Four black with bordering red lightsaber beams meet her opponents. "Whats with those looks?" She mocked, noting the stunned faces. "Don't tell me you're scared now." She chuckled and flipped the saber in her hand backwards so the beam went behind her along her black gauntlet clad arm. "One against four. I'm only a cripple, guys. I'm sure you handle it." She said with a mocking smirk.

With that she urged the force to take command of her lightsabers and they attack, using her training and techniques three of the four opponents leaving the pureblood to fight her traditionally. As the two circled each, looking for any opening, Kory continued to mock. "Come on, Tigris. I'm just a cripple using her non dominant arm to fight for her life. Where did all that confidence go."

"Oh, shut up already, you're pissing off you freak!" Tigris yelled and attacked. Just what Kory wanted. Kory parried her opponents saber and counter with flurry of strikes that Tigris was hard pressed to stop. She couldn't believe it.

Kory wasn't even this good with her dominant left arm during basic saber training. What the hell had happened?! Tigris managed to block every strike but only barely, leaving her constantly on the defensive. She was so preoccupied by Kory that she didn't notice one of Kory's other sabers flying towards her. Only at her partners warning did she notice.

With wide eyes she realized she couldn't dodge in time. With a grin, Kory coaxed the saber to lodge into Tigris' gut. "Tigris!" Cried the zabrak, Soma, Kory recalled her name. She sounded so distraught and panicked, as she smashed away Kory's lightsaber she was dueling with, that Kory returned the blade to her side. All fighting stopped as the human males came to the slumped purebloods side.

Kory was confused. Why were they so attached to her? It wasn't uncommon to make friends, after all she and Kuro were inseparable but she felt they were a special case. Was she wrong? She suddenly felt guilty for actually trying to kill her opponent instead of disarm and subdue. But...wasn't that what they were trained to do? To kill? "Kory!" She jumped in surprise at Corrin's angry tone. Kory thought she would've been impressed by her display of strength. What was going on? "I don't know what you were thinking. I'm disappointed in you. The advanced courses are for those that are strong. Weeding out the weak was for basic Sith training. Here you are all strong and partners. Killing each other is never the correct course of action. We need Sith and dead students who actually show promise will not make that a reality!"

Kory was speechless. What had she done? Corrin hated her now, she actively tried to kill someone just because she knew she could. What would Kuro say? Surely she would hate her too. Kory had never felt so disgusted with herself before. She fought back tears as she stepped away from her teacher and classmates, subconsciously willing her lightsabers back to her belt.

After checking over Tigris and finding her not in any mortal danger, the saber had missed anything vital. Corrin turned to Kory and glared at her. It was the first time Kory had ever seen any emotion on her face. She had hoped to see her smile at her sometime but to see such anger and hate directed at her crushed her spirit. "I have to take her to the kolto tanks. Get out of my sight, Kory. I'll deal with you later." Kory bolted from the room and didn't look back. She just ran, not paying much attention to where she was going. How could she have been so stupid?

Kory didn't run back to her room. She wanted to be alone, somewhere no one could find her. So she left the academy and ran into the Korriban wilds. Maybe keeping company with monsters would be more fitting for her than with people.

* * *

Kuro was meditating, the first lesson that Zash was teaching. Most students would have been impatient, but not Kuro. She saw the importance of centering ones mind. These rituals and this power was not only a danger to others but also to herself. Zash even confirmed as such and smiled proudly when Kuro had informed her she already knew the basics of the advanced sorcery class.

Zash was semi meditating next to her, thinking about the past eight years and the trials she had planned for her desired apprentice. She had plans to make Kuro stronger. She just needed to prepare somehow.

Zash peeked at her student and was surprised to see her in the same position she had left her in hours ago. She was sitting on her legs, her hands lay on her thighs and her fingers straight and pointed. Kuro's eyes were closed her face was void of any emotion. If Zash didn't know any better she would that she was dozing.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open and her face twisted into one of primal rage. Zash was taken aback, she had never seen that look on the girls face before. Not even when Kuro had basically shunned her in her office after the sacrifice ritual. "Kuroki, sweetling, what is it?"

Kuro slowly turned her seething eyes to her teacher and said in eerie calm voice. "Corrin has broken my sisters heart. I hope for your sake you are not too attached her." Was all she said.

The way she said it sent chills down Zash's spine. There was murderous promise in her tone. If Kuro encountered Corrin, the girl would kill her. Zash had no doubts of this. Despite Corrin being a master duelist she had no chance against the already increasing power Zash could feel coming off in waves from her student.

It was terrify how powerful Kuro was becoming and Zash didn't even know how it was happening. Kuro hadn't been performing rituals on her own had she? "Kuroki, please, what happened? What did you sense?"

Kuro closed her eyes again, her expressions blank once more. She still explained instead going straight back to mediation. Kuro had to let go of this hate towards a person she still loved. What Zash had done wasn't unusual for a Sith. Zash was just that, a Sith. While the twi'lek wished it never happened she couldn't deny the push it gave her to be where she was now. So she explained. "Kory was training with Corrin and her classmates. Instead of pairing them off, Corrin decided to pit Kory's four classmates against her." Zash frowned. She didn't expect Corrin to do something that demeaning. Corrin was going to get an earful from her later...that is if Kuro didn't get to her first. Zash returned her attention as Kuro continued. "They were expected an easy fight. What they got was their asses handed to them." Now Kuro was smirking, eyes still closed, as if seeing the events through her minds eye. "A few months ago we had to make our lightsabers in preparation for our advanced courses. Kory made four and practiced with the Force to control three of the four to fight as if possessed. She decided to show it off, to impress Corrin and show her she is the best. She impaled Tigris, her class mate, almost killing her. Corrin scolded her and told her to 'Get out of her sight and be dealt with later.' Kory ran."

Kuro opened her eyes once moreand glared at her teacher. "We are teenagers now, master. Surely you know what happens during these years. Puberty, new emotions and feelings. Kory had a crush on Corrin and the bitch break her heart without even knowing it. I suppose the apprentice is just like the master. Is that not so?" Kuro sneered and stood up and stalked out of the room but not before saying. "Go speak with Corrin if you want. Maybe you can save her life. I need to comfort my sister." Kuro left not seeing that she abandoned Zash in tears.

* * *

Kuro left the Sith Academy and trekked across the nearby wilds, looking for Kory. She followed her Force presence and deemed her easy to find so she let her mind wander. She thought back to what she said to Zash and felt a little guilty. Maybe she shouldn't have went that far. The spiteful and hurtful words and she knew it, but at the time she didn't care. She just wanted to hurt Zash just as the Sith Lord had hurt her.

It had been years since that sacrifice and Kuro couldn't deny the effect it had. Zash was right, it did push her to be stronger. Her anger and hatred made her stronger. It was still painful but she believed that if she kept going with this animosity she would not only have lost her birth mother but would lose a surrogate mother as well. Wasn't one enough? Kuro nodded to herself with a sigh. Once she found Kory and comforted her, the next time she saw Zash she would forgive her and stop treating her so badly.

So wrapped up in her thoughts, Kuro didn't hear or sense the presence behind her until it was too late. Something snapped around her neck and she spun around, but in the transition of the movement lost all sense of her equilibrium and fell flat on her back. She stared, horrified at the loss of all control, as Ffon and his Sith pureblood friends stepped into view, sneers and grins on their faces.

"Well look who it is, Harkun's number one bitch." Ffon spat, his friends laughing at her. "Not so tough now, are you number one bitch?" Kuro wanted to snarl and spit her rage but she couldn't, she no control of her body. What had they done to her? As if reading her mind, Ffon answered, but not before mocking her again. "Whats the matter? Feel a little... Out of control?" He laughed at his own joke.

"Not surprising. I snapped a neural disrupter on you. You wont be doing anything until its removed." He looked her body up and down, licking his lips. "Good thing too, because I want to take my time with you."

Kuro paled. No, they truly weren't planning such heinous act were they? No, of course they would. They hated her so why wouldn't they have some pleasure before they beat her to a bloody pulp.

She regretted going on the holonet with Kory to look up puberty, which lead to looking up sex and almost everything affiliated with it. Kuro was always curious and it came bite her in the ass. The twi'lek knew Ffon was going to rape her, take the only innocence she had left before leaving her to die. The worst part was she had no control in that. After everything she had been through to gain power, she couldn't even use it to protect herself.

The acolyte knew she should be afraid. Oddly enough she wasn't. She hated them for what they were going to do, they were removing her robes even now. No instead of being scared, she was seething with rage. This was going to scar her, in more ways than one, and all she could focus on was her undying rage and hatred. She grit her teeth as Ffon, getting the honors of first defilement, thrust himself inside her. As he set up a rhythm she just glared at him and his smug smirk, wishing with every fiber of her being that he would die and spend eternity in a hell all his own.

* * *

Kory hiccup and sobbed. She had felt regret before, but never to this level. She had felt guilt and sorrow. Anguish and pain. None of those other moments seemed to compare to her current one. Corrin hated her, she was turning into a monster that would kill fellow classmates because she could, and now she was lost in the wilds and alone. How she wanted Kuro to find her and comfort her like she always did. The twi'lek was always so protective of her. It was so sweet and endearing and reminded her so much of what Lex would do for her in those moments.

 _How pathetic._ She thought to herself _Crying your eyes out o_ _ver_ _nothing_ _again, Kory?_ She mocked herself. Her inner voice was right though. This was stupid, pathetic. She was growing up and she had to be strong. She lost her arm, lost her family, lost a good life she could have had. She couldn't help her current situation but she could always make it better, instead of wallowing in misery. Where did that get her anyway? "No where." She said out loud to herself.

With those thoughts in mind she stood and tried to calm down enough to channel the Force so she could see her only friend and find her way back to the academy. After a few moments Kory succeeded and set off. She stumbled over rocks and slugged through deep sand as she picked her way to Kuro Force presence. _Everything will be okay once you get to her, Kory._ _Kuro is smart, she can help you._ Kory thought.

Kory had felt surprise before. But never to this level. She remember her father and sister throwing a surprise birthday once. It scared her at first but then she saw the smiles and decorations and gifts. She was happy then.

This, though, was nothing like a surprise party. This was a nightmare. Kory found Kuro easily enough, but she wasn't at the Sith Academy like she thought. Instead her robes were shredded around her bruised and bloody body. Something dry and white littered her motionless body, mixing with the blood. There was also a device around her neck, not unlike a slave collar. What the hell had happened?

The human girl began to panic as she bolted the rest of the way to her friend. She sank to her knees and shakily placed her fingers against Kuro's pulse point. She dreaded what she might find. Kory didn't know if she could continue on without Kuro.

So it was great relief that Kory felt her pulse, but only barely. She needed medical attention, right the hell now. She didn't hate her handicap more than right then, there was no way she could carry her with one arm. So she once again she tried to calm down and use the Force to carry her. After a few attempts she manged to lift her and without wasting time used the Force to move at faster than normal speeds. "Hang on, big sis. I'm getting you help." She said to her unconscious sister. Then her eyes slanted to slits. "Then kill the fucks who dare do this to you."

* * *

 _**Kuro was swimming in a void of blackness. There was nothing to see, nothing to hear, and nothing to feel. It was** **maddening.** **She wanted to wake up. Wanted to do something, anything but be left in this void. Where was Ashara?**_

 _ **She had only thought her name and like an angel she appeared, banishing the darkness. They were still floating in nothingness but it was better. "Kuro? Oh by the Force, are you okay?"**_

 _ **Kuro stared at Ashara, tears coming to her eyes. She was always there. No matter what. She was there after Kuro exploded on her for no reason. She was there when she was sad and lonely. Upset or angry.**_

 ** _Ashara was always there. The twi_ _'_ _lek no longer_ _cared_ _if she was just a figment of her imagination. How could she not be? She always came when thought about. She was always in her dreams and she never saw, sensed or felt her in the waking worlds. But it didn_ _'_ _t matter. In Kuro's world of misery she had one thing, one person that saw her as someone perfect. As someone fantastic_ _and enjoyable to be around._ _If Ashara was only in her mind, then so be it._ _S_ _he would embrace_ _her_ _even after her dying day._**

 ** _Kuro shook her head and answered Ashara's_ _question_ _o_ _f concern. "No...they...they took it. They took the last piece of_ _innocence_ _I had left." Her sadness quickly turned to anger. "They_ _would_ _n'_ _t_ _even let me keep that! Will they take everything from me before they're satisfied?! What more can they fucking take! I hate_ _them_ _!" She screamed, roared into the void._**

 ** _Ashara let her vent, holding her close to her blossoming chest. Over the years Ashara had grown alongside Kuro. In the twi_ _'_ _lek_ _'_ _s mind she figured it was to show her own growing age and mind. Ashara was a little shorter than Kuro, a little less full in the chest, but her curves were_ _definitely_ _all woman. It seemed togruta grew into themselves almost as fast as twi'lek did._**

 _ **Kuro sobbed angrily into Ashara's breast. "I wish I could stay dreaming...at least then I wouldn't be pain all the time. At least then I could be with you forever."**_

 ** _Ashara wanted to cry at the utter defeat in Kuro's voice. "I know it's painful,_ _love_ _. But be strong. I'll always be with you. Even in the waking world. Trust in me, Kuro. I will always be here to take away your pain." The twi'lek_ _couldn't_ _quite remember when Ashara had taken to calling her love. But she loved it anyway. It made her feel_ _special._ _Like she was worth something more than the universes punching bag._**

 ** _Kuro_ _subtly_ _shook her head, but heeded the words. She had to be strong, no matter how painful. If the universe want_ _ed_ _to throw all this misery at her, then_ _she_ _would show it just how it had fucked up. "It's hard._ _I don't want to_ _but_ _…._ _I will,_ _only_ _for you."_**

 _ **Ashara smiled the kindest smile Kuro had ever received. "That's my strong girl. Keep going. Just a little more, love. Just a little more."**_

* * *

Kory paced, wearing a path into the floor of the infirmary. She hadn't left the room, hadn't left Kuro's kolto tank since she was brought in a couple days ago. To say the human was livid, enraged, was an understatement. She was insane with righteous, primal rage that she wasn't even sure how she had stayed in one place so long. But she had to.

The human girl blamed herself for these circumstances. While she was livid at whoever had done this, she hated herself more. Kuro had proven she would do anything to comfort Kory. It was clear the Sith sorceress had sensed her distress and come looking. It was Kory's fault that Kuro was put into a situation where she could be taken advantage of, when all she wanted to do was help her distressed sister. "Never again." She growled to herself, clenching her fist so tightly her nails bit into her skin, drawing blood. "Never again will anyone touch, my sister. I swear it on my life." She declared to the Force and anyone connected to it.

She no longer cared about Corrin, her crush was over. She no longer cared about being the best Sith warrior for herself, she would become the best to keep Kuro safe. To keep the filth that was the galaxy away from the only beautiful soul she had left to cherish. Kory stopped in front of the kolto tank once more and placed her hand on the glass. "Kuro..."

Kuro's body was floating in the tank, naked as the day she was born to absorb as much kolto as possible. Her head was drooped to down a little, her lekku shimmering and floating behind her in the liquid. She looked almost peaceful, beyond beautiful. She was healing up nicely, almost no cuts or bruises were seen.

Suddenly Kuro's eyes snapped open into a vicious red-purple eyed glare. Kory jumped back and cried out in surprise. The kolto tank started to shake and Kory could a faint growling scream bubbling from within. The glass shattered and exploded outward, Kory cried out again and turned to huddle herself away from the shards. The scream could be easily heard now. So much wrath, so much hate. Kory could sense the building Force power and suddenly she was afraid for her life. Kuro was out of control and this power kept building she would blow the entire academy into atoms. The deafening scream of rage turning into a name. One Kory recognized at least now, Kory knew who had violated her sister before the world went black.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry this one was so short, the next one is longer by about 10k words ^.~ Hope you all enjoyed.**


	4. Dromund Kaas: Black Talon

**AN: So this chapter gets moody and a little bloody. Everything thats happened to Kuro has to come to a head and….you'll see in this one. Maybe I dont pull it off well but let me know what you think. Be prepared for feels, whether good or bad.**

* * *

Zash and Corrin, burst into the infirmary at Kuro's scream. The twi'lek was levitating above an unconscious Kory. It wasn't hard to figure out why. The sheer power pulsating from Kuro had Zash and Corrin reeling. Being exposed to so much Force strength would make almost anyone pass out.

Zash rushed to Kuro's side while Corrin attended to Kory. "Kuroki, sweetling, please calm down."

Kuro was struggling to contain her rage. She had to find him. Destroy him! Not just his body, but his entire essence would be obliterated! Their wouldn't be anything left of him to return to the Force! The sorceress apprentice lifted her eyes to a concerned Zash. "C-calm...not until...he dies..." She growled out.

Zash was confused. Who did she mean? "Who, Kuroki?"

Kuro snarled and shot her hand out toward the door, pointing. "You know who! Ffon and his merry band of racist Sith Purebloods! Bring them to me!" She demanded with all the power she could muster."

Ffon. Zash should have known. That miserable little worm had been at Kuro's throat since she got here. Zash frowned and turned to Corrin. "Round up Ffon and his friends. You know who they are." Corrin, after situating Kory into a chair comfortably, set out to do as she ordered.

Zash turned to Kuro once more. "I will take care of everything, sweetling. Let me get you some clothes to cover your modesty." Zash stood taller to kiss Kuro on the forehead and left the room before Kuro could come up with a reply. Instead she focused on calming down.

She thought of Ashara, who always seemed to calm her down. For a moment she thought she saw her in the corner of her eye. She thought of what Ashara would say at a moment like this. The words came like a rush to her mind. _Be calm, love. Be calm,_ _I'_ _m always here for you, remember? Trust in me._ Those words were enough. Kuro sagged, dropping from her levitated position, to the floor. After her outburst she felt drained and eerily calm now.

It was at that moment Zash returned. She must have gone at Force speed. Zash helped her get dressed in one Kuro's favorite outfits that consisted of black and red colors. A simple pair of pants a top cropped shirt and leather jacket. "There, all better now. You look dashing, sweetling." Zash said, happy to see her surrogate daughter calm.

Kuro looked her mother figure, her face serene in contrast to the anger only minutes before. "Thank you, mother. I always did like this outfit." She said with a tiny smile. Though it didn't put Zash at ease. It was the smile of someone about ready to snap, if she hadn't already. She had seen many like it before. "Where are Ffon and his friends, mother?"

Zash was hesitant to answer but the way Kuro was looking at her, like she could see right through her, compelled her to answer honestly. "I had Corrin gather them in my office."

"Splendid. Let's go, mother. Please carry Kory for me." She ordered and Zash had no intention of disobeying. For one reason or another, Zash would make things right with Kuro. So she carefully cradled Kory in her arms and followed after a seemingly empowered Kuro.

It was plain to see. Zash was in awe of the acolyte. Sith Lords, Sith guards, acolytes, they all got out of her way as if she were their ruler. The Sith guards even bowed slightly, recognizing her power. Kuroki was no mere acolyte anymore. No meager Apprentice trying to please their masters so they could become full fledged Sith. No, Kuro was a Sith already, if not in title, then in spirit.

They arrived at Zash's office and the Sith Lord looked at her protegee She was still calm...and it was unnerving. When Kory had returned with a beaten Kuro in her arms, Zash was distraught. What had happened to her daughter? Who had done it? Kory had explained what she knew, that Kuro was beaten and bloodied, with white stains on her body. Taking that information with Kuro screaming in rage Ffon's name it wasn't hard to piece together what had happened. Ffon and his friends raped Kuro by using a neural disruptor so she couldn't fight back.

So to see her calm and not the blood lusted girl she saw only minutes ago was unnerving. She had known people like this before. She had even heard of the Emperor himself seemingly so calm but still dangerous. Zash was sure of something right then, Kuro terrified her.

They entered the room. Ffon and his friends, five in total, were lined up in front of her desk. Zash handed Kory over to Corrin and walked around her desk, sadly leaving Kuro's side and sat down. She put her Sith Lord face on and intertwined her fingers on her desk. She quirked a brow and said. "Care to explain, Ffon, why Kuro was brought back from the wilds. Beaten, bloody and stained with a particular white substance?" Kuro just stood in front the five, humming to herself and smiling that small creepy smile as she watched the scene unfold. Ffon was as good as dead, no need to rush. Savor the moment. Enjoy the fear.

Ffon, for his part said nothing. They couldn't prove it was him. Kuro was ambushed by the Korriban wildlife and only assumed it was him because of her hatred of him. Ffon said as such. "Really?" Ffon nodded. "You would not be lying to me would you? Because I really do not like liars."

Ffon tried not fidget. Luckily he was saved from having to say anything as Kory chose that moment to wake up. Upon seeing the Pureblooded scum she snarled like an animal and jumped up, flashing towards him. Corrin tried to stop her but was stopped short when Kory grabbed her arm and twisted around Corrin's body then kicked her away, not stopping her charge. "I'll kill you, you fuck!" She roared.

Just as she got to him she was stopped by an invisible force. She couldn't move, her arm poised to strike, lightsaber in hand was inches from Ffon's neck. Kory's eyes widened in shock. Who had so much power to completely immobilize someone? "Kory, dear sister. You wouldn't take my revenge away from me, would you? That would hurt my feelings." Kuro said as she walked over to her human friend. Her voice was like velvet but dripping with something more sinister underneath. She got in close, placed her chin on Kory's shoulder and wrapped her arms around her, almost like a lovers embrace. "Don't you think I've been hurt enough, dear sister?" She asked, sorrow lacing her voice now.

Kory would have frozen in fear if she wasn't already bound. An inner instinct she didn't know she had before reared its head demanding her to stand down. Kory found she could move her head again, so she nodded. "Y-yes, sister. I just wanted...to protect you the only way I know how. I-I-I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me most." She said, expressing her sorrow and guilt and failing Kuro.

The twi'lek's heart broke at her sisters regret and guilt. She shushed her, the venomous undertones gone, just the velvet remained. "It's not your fault, Kory. Don't blame yourself. You had no way of knowing and it was out of your control."

Kory shook her head but didn't say anything. Zash, however, did. "Kuroki. Please release Kory. We need to take care of the issue at hand." She said, acting the Sith lord to her daughter. Kuro released her hold on Kory and hugged her sobbing sister before gently shooing her away to Corrin. She saw the two begin to talk and if Ffon wasn't so high on her shit list she would already be at Corrin's throat. She hadn't forgotten how the warrior had hurt Kory but as it was, Ffon needed to be dealt with first.

Kuro turned her attention to her rapist and his friends. They were terrified of her, as they should be. Kuro really looked at them and couldn't find the fear or inner turmoil that most rape victims had. No, she just had a quiet rage burning inside. "You should have killed me after your fun, Ffon. You almost did. Let me give you some advice on murder. When trying to kill someone, make sure they're dead." She said to her rapist, her voice devoid of any anger. She was like a spider, luring its prey into its web. She smiled at him, that same small smile that held amusement and lethality underneath.

Kuro used the Force, projecting a crushing darkness onto one of his friends. The intense gravity in that small area drowned out his screams as his bones snapped and crushed under the dark and heavy void. When she lifted it there was nothing left of his friend but a pool of blood, organs and bone. "See? I made sure he was dead." She said with a giggle. "Now, this is what you did..."

Again she used the Force on his second friend and her other rapist. She didn't do anything fancy here, just shot a lightning bolt at him. Using enough power to render him unconscious. She walked over crouched above him, running her hands along his back. "Almost dead. Much like I was. But you see Ffon you never did measure up. I'm smarter than you and I know that you crush your enemies." With that, she reached down with her right hand and hooked them into a claw. Then imbuing herself with the strength of the Force she rammed her hand into his chest, crushing his heart against the durasteel floor. "Crushed." She chirped with a smile, as if she were among friends and family having a joyous gathering.

She stood up and was about to cut the life from the other two when Zash interrupted. "Kuroki, please stop. We can..." But she interrupted.

Kuro, for all to see, was still calm, but when she looked at her mother figure, Zash trembled. The twi'lek spoke with the same soft velvet, almost kind voice. But she could sense the darkness underneath. "We can do what, mother? Imprison them, let them off with a warning? That would be nice wouldn't it?" She giggled, an almost insane laughter. "No mother. Ffon raped me, let his friends rape me, then tried to kill me. But I can forgive and forget all that." Her tone belied the words. Kuro would never forgive or forget what was done to her. "What I cannot forgive is this: They instilled fear and doubt into Kory. Made her see herself as weak because she wasn't there to help me. And for that..." She used the Force and compelled all of Kory's lightsabers from her belt and to activate. They shot toward one of the two remaining boys and literally cut him to pieces, she didn't even gesture or move. "For that alone they forfeit their lives, mother." Kuro frowned as something occurred to her. "You don't wish to stop me do you?" She asked with a pout.

"N-no of course not, sweetling." Zash stuttered out. She was afraid. She had never seen such ruthlessness from someone so young, and all with a smile, as if she were enjoying it. She almost jumped as the last boy bolted from his place and tried to rush the door. He didn't even make it three steps. The lightsabers made short work of him. As his pieces hit the floor, Zash gulped, sweat dripping from her temple.

Kuro smiled, tilting her head innocently, not having even glanced at the boy. "Glad to hear it, mother." She turned her attention to Ffon, who was petrified. How was she this strong? It just couldn't be possible. He was taught from an early age that Pureblooded Sith were the strongest in the Force. "I suppose I should thank you, Ffon. You took the last thing that made me soft and weak. So for that I'll grant you what you've always wanted. Power." She smiled at him. Ffon breathed a sigh of relief, but only for a moment. With no warning Kuro channeled as much Force power as she could into manifested lightning and unleashed it all on Ffon. He screamed at the sudden pain. As she poured more and more Force power into the lightning she giggled. "Not enough? I can always give you more. Here!" The Force was too much for Ffon to handle and finally….Ffon exploded. Chunks of flesh, liters of blood showered down on the living occupants. Kory, Corrin and Zash were disturbed. Kuro was smiling and lifted her face to the downpour of blood. It felt wonderful. Having got her revenge she skipped to the door of Zash's office, feeling amazing and more carefree than ever, humming a random tune. She addressed Zash over her shoulder and said. "I'll see you tomorrow for my training, mother."

* * *

Zash sat alone in her office, the smell of blood still fresh. She was still trying to process everything. While she knew Kuro was powerful, even at four years old when she was sent to retrieve her, she didn't expect this. Kuro was becoming more powerful….daily! She suspected she had more Force potential yet to unlock.

And yet despite the fear she had of the young girl Zash was still determined to prepare the ritual she had in mind. If Zash was on the twi'lek child's good side she had nothing to fear, though she couldn't say the same about Corrin.

After Kuro left, Kory and Corrin had a bit of heart to heart. Corrin expressed regret at the way she had treated the young girl and wasn't aware of Kory feelings. Kory blushed at having her secret found out but admitted that it wouldn't work out. There was too big an age gap, they were master and student. It would just end in misery for both people. While Kory expressed she still thought Corrin was a beautiful woman she knew now it was just a crush, a teenage fancy that would never come to be. Corrin didn't hold it against her. So Kory left, promising to talk to Kuro before she got it in her head to kill Corrin for hurting her.

Zash hoped it would work out. Corrin was an amazing apprentice and she loved having her around. If she was a Darth, Zash would have made her a Sith Lord ages ago. But as it was she was not...yet. A plan she had formed for such a long time began to change, if only slightly. Darth Skotia, her master was the only one in her way to become Darth. As was tradition in many Sith hierarchy, Zash had to kill Skotia and take his place or remove him some other way. Who better to do that than Kuro and Kory? While Corrin was strong and she had no doubt the young woman could defeat Skotia, she didn't want to risk her. But was it okay to risk Kuro and Kory? They were much younger and less experienced than a Darth, a cyborg Darth at that. No it wasn't okay. But she knew it was the correct choice. Corrin had already proved herself over the years, Kuro and Kory had not. At least, not outside the Academy. This would just be one more step in their training. Facing someone who was stronger than ones self. With a nod, Zash stood and left her office, making a cleaning request on her holocom. With that done she needed to relieve some stress, and she knew just who to see. With a soft smile she left the Academy for one of the major cities on Korriban.

* * *

 **Tython: Jedi Temple**

Ashara woke with a heavy heart. The nightly dream was...disturbing. Kuro had told her, with a small lazy smile, what she had done. Killing fellow classmates because of her rape. While Ashara expressed the horror at what had happened to her, she silently couldn't approve of such violent acts, but even so, she still loved the Sith. Once again she found herself needing advice.

She climbed out of bed and got dressed in her signature jacket, pants and boots and headed out. She ran into Aya along the way, a blue skinned twi'lek girl who was the only equal Ashara had come across in their training with lightsaber forms. Ashara had to admit that Aya was even better. Never wasting a movement and using the Force extremely well during fights. While the nightly "dream training" with Kuro had improved her skills, Ashara was still no where near Aya's level of saber mastery. She didn't resent the twi'lek for it, instead it just drove her to do better. "Off to see the wise one?" Aya joked, falling into step with the togruta

Ashara laughed but nodded. "Are you?"

Aya nodded as well, her expression turning solemn. "Yeah its...complicated."

Ashara hummed in agreement. "I can attest to that. Though, seeking advice from Shi'ara must mean things are serious. I wont pry though, not my place." Aya smiled in thanks and the pair fell into a comfortable silence

They remained silent as they trekked across Tython's grassy plains to Shi'ara's daily morning meditation spot. The pair felt bad that Shi'ara's private meditation area was pretty much public knowledge now. They didn't wish to disturb her but many students wanted her advice on things and Aya and Ashara told many where to find her. Now it seemed Shi'ara could never be alone. However, in true Shi'ara fashion, she never complained, only smiled and greeted anyone that came warmly and with a hug or a kind-hearted tease. Further cementing everyone's love for the human Force user.

As they arrived at the stream of crystal clear water they could see Shi'ara sitting lotus style underneath the nearby tree. Aya cleared her throat and said. "You can go first I...still need to think on what to say."

"Are you sure? I'm sure I can wait."

"No, its fine. Go ahead." Aya insisted with a smile and sat down in the grass, lounging back on her hands, enjoying the slight breeze.

Ashara nodded and ventured forth to stand by Shi'ara. She waited until she was addressed, not wanting to disturb her friends meditations. After a few minutes Shi'ara spoke, she sounded tired and Ashara a fresh wave of guilt. Some friend she was. "Hello, Ashara. It is good to see you again." Shi'ara smiled up at her friend with tired but kind eyes.

"I'm sorry." Ashara felt terrible. Shi'ara looked so tired but she was still being so nice. "This was a bad idea. I-I shouldn't be disturbing you so much."

"Do not be, sweet heart. I am fine."

"But….you look so tired! Cause people like me can't do anything by ourselves so we bother you to get help. It's not right! Nevermind why I came here, you should get some rest." Ashara insisted, going as far as to coac Shi'ara to her feet.

Shi'ara giggled and cupped Ashara's cheek. The togruta stopped fussing and blushed. "Ashara, your concern for my well being is heart warming. But trust me, I know my limits." She then kissed the younger girl on the forehead and pulled back. "Now please, tell me what is wrong."

Ashara stared at the human woman. She was truly an adult, the final stages of her training and teenager years were drawing near. With curves and feminine features that would make any girl green with envy. Ashara hesitantly nodded. "O-okay but...promise me you'll take it easy and rest."

"I can do that, Ashara. Thank you."

Ashara sighed retold the most recent events; Kuro's rape and her sudden surge of power. Her revenge and eerie calm, almost insane demeanor. She expressed her concern and fear that Kuro may be losing her mind. "Will she be okay? She seemed, euphoric that she killed five people, in such gruesome ways."

Shi'ara smiled at her friend to help ease her nerves. "Do not fret, Ashara. Kuro is only doing what she was taught. All the pain and suffering she has endured had to come to a breaking point. What those boys did was a crime against life and while I do not approve of her actions there is nothing to be done about it. As I expressed to you before, do not shun her."

Ashara shook her head. "I won't. I would never. I don't like what she did but I can't help but love her. No matter what flaws she has I can't stop seeing her as anything but perfection."

Shi'ara smiled brightly, glad that the Jedi teachings wasn't impeding her emotions and spirit. Shi'ara loved the Jedi, no matter good their intentions, she knew they were misguided in some teachings. So she tried to show her underclassmen another way and still be good Jedi. "Good. So long as she has you, her mind will not be lost. Do not tell her the truth just yet. I see she is drawing her own conclusions. Some of them wrong, but wait for her to make the first move." At Ashara's crestfallen look Shi'ara hoped to soothe. "I know it is painful, believe me, but you must not tell her, not yet. She is not emotionally ready, let her come to you about your connection."

Ashara sighed. "I understand. Thank you as always, Shi'ara."

"Of course. I must keep my stalkers at peace least they do something drastic." Shi'ara replied with a cat like smile.

Ashara rolled her eyes, but giggled. "Yes, we wouldn't want that."

"Not at all. Off you go now, I must put Aya's concerns to rest. Seems someone has developed a crush on our rather energetic and mischievous Kira." Shi'ara giggled as the togruta walked away, smirking. As she left Aya and Shi'ara behind she heard Aya shout. "You told her what?!" Ashara couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

 **Dromund Kaas: Zash's Apartment**

Zash had her face buried into a pair of soft breasts. She missed these way too much. A soft slender hand was stroking her short blonde hair and it was lulling her into sleep. She had left Korriban a few days ago to rest and gather her thoughts at the current events that had taken place. Zash needed to see her again as well. "Stop, you're making me sleepy." She mumbled.

She felt the vibrations of a chuckle from underneath her. "Oh, but surely you must be tired." Came the teasing reply. Always with the teasing, Zash secretly loved it.

Zash couldn't help but blush. This woman knew just what to say to make her feel like she was a teenager again. "Yes, well, I dont want to sleep yet. I missed you."

"I missed you too, Zash. How are things at the Academy?" The woman asked.

Zash gently took hold of a blue toned lekku and stroked it in rhythm to the hand on her back. "It is chaotic. I don't know which way is up anymore."

Another giggle. "Yes she has had a habit of doing that to people. Tell me everything."

So Zash did. She feared the reaction but she couldn't hide it anymore. She told her about the sacrifice trial, the other trials Kuroki was put though, the torture and interrogation training that she passed with flying colors. The Sith sorcery path she had decided to take and what that meant for Kuroki. Then finally her brutal rape and her eerie revenge. Zash looked up at her lover, tears in her eyes, sorrow and regret in her own.

Kanna Kalika stared back. She was stunned at what she had learned in the span of minutes. Her baby girl had grown up, been subject to every atrocity sentient life could throw at her. Not to mention that Zash, her lover, had lied to not only Kuro but to Kanna herself. Forcing Kuro to make her believe she was killing her own mother. What kind of monster does that?

She wanted to go off on Zash, yell at her, even hit her, but she at the sound of sobbing, the sight of tears and sorrow on her face. She couldn't do that. Zash was the strongest person she knew so to see her cry was heartbreaking. "I'm sorry, Kanna. Please don't hate me. It was the only way I could think of to make her strong. Sith training is not easy she had to have hate and anger even if it was directed at me. I promised you I would look out for her, keep her safe and I failed that but I knew I could keep her alive. So, please don't hate me, you are all I have….. I am sorry, I am so sorry." Zash trailed off into repeated apologizes, sobbing and a shivering body as she clung to the twi'lek mother.

Kanna was speechless. So many emotions, so many thoughts went swirling through her mind. She had to forgive Zash. She just had to. Sure her actions were questionable but she showed genuine remorse for them. Besides, monsters didn't, couldn't feel remorse, regret or guilt over their actions. Zash truly had done what she thought was right to keep her baby girl alive.

"Oh, Zash..." Kanna breathed and held her lover to her breast, kissing her hair. "It's okay now, my love. I know you didn't mean any harm. Shh it's alright."

She wasn't sure her words got through, for Zash only continued to apologize quietly and sob. Kanna just cradled her lover and rocked her. She stroked her back in a soothing caress, enjoying the sensations of the humans skin and hair under her fingers. Eventually Zash cried herself to sleep and Kanna let her rest. She thought of her baby girl in the Academy and wished with all her heart she could go to her. "My poor, Kuroki. Please forgive your mother."

* * *

 **Korriban: A few years later**

The twi'lek had been training with Zash for a couple years now, learning everything she could about Sith sorcery. With recent events in mind she delved into the rituals and techniques with single-minded determination. She never wanted to be weak again, never wanted anyone to take advantage of her or anyone she loved. She was determined to become so powerful that even the all powerful Emperor would tremble at the mere mention of her. She knew that was wishful thinking on that last thought but that's what she wanted regardless.

It's why she found herself in the tomb of Naga Sadow. There was a holocron here that no one had been able to obtain for quite some time and she wanted it. Her overseer didn't instruct her to come, her masters didn't know she was even here. She came on her own, seeking power like a good little Sith.

It was the dead of night when she left. She used the Force to cloak herself, a technique the Sith assassins were trained in. But she didn't see the point in squandering its potential. She snuck past guards and the local wildlife and made it to the tomb without any trouble. It didn't take her long to find the holocron either. The pyramid shape was obvious and she could feel the dark side energy coming from within. She had to open this and retrieve it somehow. So she knelt and meditated on the Force for an answer.

It took hours of pondering and thinking before she realized how stupid she was being. The answer was obvious. The holocron was of the dark side, so use the dark side. She stood on aching legs and blasted the shard with Force Lightning. Her hunch proved correct when the top snapped open and the holocron lay inside. Kuro grinned happily and grabbed it before making her escape.

She returned the same way she left and snuck back into her room. She turned to come face to face with a very put off Kory. Her hand was on her hip and her foot was even tapping, a full on glare cast in her direction. It was hard to take her seriously when Kuro had to look down to meet her eyes, not to mention she was in her pajamas. Some shorts and a tank top. Hardly anything imposing. "Where did you go?" She demanded angrily.

Kuro had the foresight to look sheepish. "Sorry, little sister. But I had to leave and get this." She hoisted her treasure with a childlike grin. Even though she was sixteen she often enjoyed acting like a child, perhaps it was to reacquire her lost innocence or perhaps she was still a child in mind.

Kory looked at the holocron in her sisters hands, dropping her hostile stance. "What's in it?" She asked, curiosity taking the forefront of her mind.

With a grin, Kuro moved past her sister and sat at her desk, placing the holocron on top. "I don't know, that's what I want to find out."

"Wait wait wait...you went into a tomb. At night. Alone?!" Kory screeched. Kuro just smiled and fiddled with the holocron. "Unbelievable! You know how I feel about you disappearing, Kuro!"

The twi'lek smiled sadly, her hands going still. The memories of that day came flooding back like a tidal wave. "Yeah, Kory. I do know how you feel about it." She turned in her seat and looked at her sister. "But you need to know how I feel about it."

Kory's anger quickly dissipated and she felt a knot in her stomach. "How you feel?"

Kuro nodded. "I love you, little sister. I love how protective you are of me, it makes me feel special that I'm cared for. But I can't do anything on my own. No one will let me. Between you and Zash, even Corrin, I can't set foot outside this room without one of you there and quite honestly? It's driving me crazy."

Kory frowned. She didn't mean to be so overbearing, but Kuro didn't know what she had looked like that day. Kory couldn't get it out of her mind and she feared if she left her side for too long Kuro would look like that again...or worse. She couldn't bear it. "I'm sorry for being so overbearing. But I can't help it, Kuro. You almost died! You _looked_ like death!"

"But I didn't die. They got lucky to get away with what they did. All because of that neural disruptor. If they didn't have that they would be dead and I would be fine. You need to stop beating yourself up for something that was out of your control." Kuro said calmly. Ever since that first initial outburst of anger, Kuro had never gotten angry again. Anger was an emotion that could drive her out of control. She didn't need it, didn't want it. She always wanted to be in control. She could hate someone, be upset with them, but anger would never control her. If someone called her 'rat tail' she would just giggle quietly to herself and move along. If someone spat in her face she would just smile, her eyes crinkling in mirth. It was almost creepy how unaffected Kuro was by anything. Kory had surmised that because the worst had already happened to her what else was their really to be upset about?

Kory just frowned, not liking how smart Kuro actually was. She knew what the twi'lek said was true, but she couldn't help how she felt. "I wont stop looking out for you." She said stubbornly.

Kuro smiled, an actual warm smile this time. "I'm not asking you to. All I'm asking is let me do things on my own if I deem them necessary."

The one armed human didn't say anything. She couldn't promise that she would because she didn't know if she could or not. So she said nothing and went to her bed and laid down.

Kuro sighed and went back to her holocron. What was inside? What possible secrets did it contain? She really wanted to delve inside right now but she deigned to wait. Maybe she would throw Zash a bone and look through it with her. Kuro giggled to herself. She had been making it hard on Zash, that was true. She would pull childish pranks now and then, like waiting underneath her desk to scare her, or stealing her lightsaber and placing it in a potted plant just outside her rooms.

The truth of the matter was she had already forgiven Zash, even though she knew Zash was still keeping things from her. It was the way she looked at the twi'lek teenager sometimes. Full of regret and sorrow. Kuro could also sense something in the woman's mind. Something behind a locked door that Kuro was itching to open. Whatever it was she knew it was important, but she would let Zash tell her on her own time. For now, Kuro decided to get some sleep, she had a particular exciting subject tomorrow.

* * *

 _**Kuro was nervous. She couldn** **'** **t remember ever being this nervous before. She didn** **'** **t even know when it started but she knew she felt something different when she was with Ashara. It was** **simpler** **when they were still children. They laughed, played and spent time together just talking about** **anything** **. But as she and Ashara got older, their bodies changed. They were becoming women of their species, and with that change came new emotions, feelings. Kuro actually noticed Ashara. The way she stood, one foot slightly behind the other, as if waiting** **for** **the right** **moment to push off of it and burst into motion. Kuro noticed the way her head tails, different in look than the twi'lek but much the same, had grown in length. They passed her now fuller breasts and ended at her ribs. She noticed how bright her eyes were, how beautiful and silky smooth her** **lighter red** **skin w** **as in contrast to her youth** **. Ashara was perfection personified in Kuro's eyes.**_

 _ **It was this new and sudden attraction that scared her. This woman of her dreams, her imagination, was everything she didn't know she had wanted in another. No one in the real world could compare. Kuro had fallen in love with a figure she had conjured in her mind to shelter herself from the pain of reality. She kept it to herself for years, but now, at sixteen she felt like saying something. But she didn't know how.**_

 _ **The two stood in front of each other. Ashara was so happy to see Kuro again, even though she had seen her last night. She could never get enough of her Force-mate. "Hello again, Kuro. How was your day?" She started off, a pleasant smile and something Kuro couldn't quite place, shining in her eyes.**_

 _ **Kuro didn't know what to say. Her day was fine, nothing particularly noteworthy. She spoke before she could stop herself. "It was fine, but it was nothing compared to seeing your beautiful self again." Kuro's eyes widened and she spun around, clamping her hands to her mouth, berating herself in her mind.**_

 **'What the hell was that you idiot? Might as well say you wanna ravish her**. **' _K_ _uro peeked from over her shoulder. Ashara was beaming at her_ _for_ _the compliment._ 'By the Force I wanna ravish her.'**

 ** _"Thank you, love. Its always good to see you too." Ashara wanted to say something else, but that_ _'_ _s what left her mouth. Was now the time? Should she tell her they were_ _F_ _orce-mates?_**

 _ **Kuro sighed. "Yeah." Kuro felt awkward. These new feelings made it so hard to talk to her normally. Should she just clear the air? Tell her about the attraction she had?**_

 _ **"Kuro, what's wrong?" Ashara asked, stepping closer and laying a hand on her arm.**_

 _ **The twi'lek felt heat scorch her arm where Ashara touched her. It was so warm and felt incredible. Her desire was becoming unbearable. She had to pull away or lose control. She began to move away but then Ashara placed both her hands on Kuro's shoulders and neck. "You're really warm. Are you sick? You should let your mind rest." It was then Ashara did something that made Kuro snap. She placed her forehead against the Sith's, just checking a temperature.**_

 _ **Kuro lost it. She wrapped her arms around Ashara and pulled her in tightly. Ashara's body was flush with hers. The heat touched everywhere and Kuro nearly fainted from the wonderful sensations only Ashara seemed capable of giving her. But still she wanted more. Kuro looked Ashara in the eyes. Her own were wide with desire and confusion on her uncontrollable actions. Then she surged forward claimed Ashara's lips in a heated kiss.**_

 _ **Kuro's eyes snapped shut and pleasure she had never felt before exploded through her at the contact. This was kissing? The thing she had seen only a few people do before? No wonder people did this. If it was this good in her mind she couldn't imagine how good it would be in reality. It seemed like such a silly thing to her before, but now she couldn't get enough of it. She went to move her lips against Ashara's for more but was shocked out of her pleasure educed stupor when the contact was suddenly broken.**_

 _ **Ashara had pushed her away. Kuro felt her heart shatter. Not even her imagination wanted her? "K-Kuro what...?" Ashara said in shock her fingers touching her own lips.**_

 _ **The Sith, while hurt and on the verge of crying, wiped all emotion from her face and stood back up. "I suppose it doesn't matter what that was. It's obvious you didn't want it and for that I apologize for forcing myself on you. It won't happen again." She replied mechanically.**_

 _ **Ashara was shocked at first when Kuro kissed her, never really thinking Kuro would make the first move. But she had and what did Ashara do? Push her away. '**_ **By the force what have** **I done?' _She thought to herself. Everything snapped into place then. Kuro may have shown no emotion but Ashara knew she had shattered her heart with that one action. All she needed to do was not push her away, to always be there for the Sith and yet she screwed that up after doing so well! She had to fix this! "No! I-It's not like that!"_**

 _ **Kuro began to show emotion, but not one Ashara wanted to see. Anger. "Then why push me away if you liked it?"**_

 _ **"I was surprised, I wasn't expecting that at all!" Ashara cried desperately. "Please, Kuro. I promised myself, promised you I would always be there for you, for my Force-mate."**_

 _ **"Of course you're my force mate!" Kuro exclaimed. Wait, she knew? Ashara felt her hopes rise. "Of course you are! You're in my imagination, you're supposed to love me!"**_

 _ **Ashara was confused. Her imagination? "Kuro...I'm not..." She began but was interrupted.**_

 _ **"Yes you are. You have to be. Go down the list, Ashara. You only appear in my dreams, you're everything I wanted in someone, you only showed up after I started my Sith training. My mind must have created you to shelter me from the pain." Kuro wasn't angry anymore, just tired and miserable. "If you were real shouldn't I be able to sense you in the real world? But I cant. You're just in my mind and you don't even want me." Kuro sniffed and began to cry. She couldn't take it anymore. Leaving her heart bare so many times only to have it shattered just as many times and then again by someone she believed would always accept her just left her broken. Kuro just wanted to die.**_

 _ **Ashara felt despicable. She couldn't believe she had hurt the only person in the universe that matter to her in such a way. She shook her head and advanced on Kuro, determined to make this right. She could feel it, now was the time to lay everything bare. She gripped Kuro's face, firmly but gently. Kuro stared into her eyes, terrified of another rejection or something worse. "Kuro, I love you. With everything that I am. I call you 'love' because its true. We can't sense each other because we are too far away from each other. I'm on a planet called Tython in the inner core systems for my training. Though I'm leaving soon for Taris to continue my training there. I sought advice from Shi'ara, shes older than me but shes already stronger and more powerful in the Force than the entire Jedi Council. Combined! She has a strong connection to the Force and she could see you and me. She told me not to tell you we were Force-mates until I had to. You weren't emotionally ready, she said. But I know now is the time for that. I'm Ashara Zavros, Jedi padawan and I'm your Force-mate, Kuroki Kali'ka. I'm sorry I hurt you and I promise I will never hurt you again. I will always be there for you. Always."**_

 _ **Kuro stared, unsure, at Ashara's firm yet loving eyes. She couldn't sense anything other than honesty and sincerity. Ashara was speaking the truth. She was real, she loved her and would always accept her. Kuro felt her heart beating strongly again. No longer shattered, but strong and steady. "I'm going to kiss you now, love." Ashara said before doing just that. Tears welled in Kuro's eyes as she embraced her lover. Ashara gently pulled back and kissed the tears away from her cheeks. She kissed the twi'lek's forehead and hugged her tightly. "I don't know if we will ever meet in person. But whether we do or not, the Force has bound us together. I will always love you, Kuro. No matter what, please, never doubt that."**_

 _ **Kuro nodded. "I love you too, Ashara. Thank you, for accepting me even though..."**_

 _ **Ashara knew what she was talking about and she shook her head. "Don't think like that. They didn't break you, you're still here and they are not. You are stronger, you are better. You. Are. Perfect." She finished, each word said along with a kiss to the forehead, then the cheek, then the lips.**_

 _ **The twi'lek's heart was ready to burst with affection at Ashara's words. She couldn't think of anything to say so she settled with, "T-Thank you."**_

 _ **"You can always rely on me, love." And Kuro knew she could. As she began to wake from her her dream she couldn't help but think she would gladly go through all the hell she had if the end result was getting Ashara to proclaim her love again.**_

* * *

Training used to be a nightmare. Used to be something she never wanted to do. It hurt too much, she did things that she never thought she would have done. But now, Kory loved it. The adrenaline, the excitement and exercise was empowering. What made it even better? Having a strong sparring partner.

The girl in front of her was older than her, eighteen solar years if she remembered correctly. Her name was Yoko Yoru and she was a Pureblood Sith with dark red skin and vibrant red eyes. Solid black hair that was tied into a tail. Sometimes the Purebloods had their bones grow in such a way that they protruded from their faces. This girls bones had ridges that protruded outwards from her chin by an inch or so.

Kory grinned up at the Sith and blocked the red beam that was swung at her. The girl was tall too. Very tall. She would even tower over Kuro who was six and a half feet. The human used the Force and pushed the juggernaut away from her. Yoko landed on her back but used the momentum and back flipped onto her feet and brought her saber in a defense stance, the Soresu form.

Yoko had arrived at the Academy only a month ago. It was unheard of to have someone so old begin training but apparently rumor had it that some strings were pulled and Yoko skipped years of training at another Academy to finish on Korriban. Kory could now see why. Yoko was a powerhouse. She hit like a Rancor and moved like a Nexu. While she was part of the juggernaut training course, which specialized in defense and being able to withstand an enemies blows to tire out their opponents, Yoko was something else all together. She was fast and strong but she could always withstand blows that would shatter her bones. She proved this taking a boulder two times her size to the face and getting up without a single bruise. She was a seven foot tall monster and Kory loved fighting her.

"That all ya got?"Kory taunted.

Yoko didn't say anything, a common occurrence with her. The entire month she had been here Kory hadn't heard her say a single word. She always let her actions speak for her. She pushed off the ground with enough force to leave a larger than normal indent in dirt and shot towards Kory.

The human girl knew she couldn't take that many blows and the last one, even though she blocked it, had her arm feeling numb. So she dropped to her back just as Yoko came upon her and then somersaulted up, kicking Yoko in the ribs and flipping her onto her back. She landed, straddling Yoko and poised her saber at he girls throat, claiming victory. Or so she thought.

Yoko's free hand shot out and gripped Kory's only arm. She twisted and flipped them over so Yoko was on top. She pinned Kory's arm and poised her own lightsaber down at Kory's. "Heh, not bad. But how do you fair against five lightsabers?"

Yoko looked confused and her frown deepened. Suddenly Kory's lightsabers on her belt jumped away and activated and then shot towards the Pureblood. Yoko jumped away and deflected the first, then dueled the second all the while ducking, twisting and dodging the others. Kory rose and watched with awe. Not one of her sabers getting through her defenses. Yoko was way leagues ahead of Kory in skill. Well, then. She figured should add a fifth.

"Enough!" Came the loud barked order. Kory's sabers stopped and returned to her belt and Kory dropped her aggressive stance. It was Corrin calling an end to their duel. Kory felt Yoko come up beside her. "Very impressive both of you." She turned her attention to a dark skinned man, an overseer and trainer of the juggernaut class. "Are you satisfied, Overseer Tremel?"

Earlier in the day the two classes were training together and an argument broke out. Naturally it was to see which class was better. It almost came to blows but Corrin put a stop to it and pit Kory, her best student, against Yoko, Tremel's best student even though she had arrived a month ago.

The two went it at for hours, neither one being defeated or backing down. Kory was an unstoppable force, while Yoko was an immovable object. Many believed that such beings could not beat each other, so far that had been proven true.

Tremel nodded and beckoned Yoko over and she went to leave. But Kory grabbed her arm and smiled at the snarl the woman shot her way. She let go but said."Sorry, just wanted to say that was fun. You're super strong and it was honor to fight you." They may be Sith, but Kory didn't see that as an excuse to be spiteful or nasty to each other so she said what she thought. Yoko was strong and she did enjoy their match.

Yoko paused and gave a gruff nod before moving away, passing Tremel and heading inside the Academy. Tremel sighed and round up his class and left leaving Corrin with her students. "I'm impressed, Kory. Yoko isn't someone anyone could stand against. But you did, and even had her work for a victory."

Kory beamed at the praise. She loved it when Corrin praised her. While her crush for the older woman was gone that didn't mean she didn't respect her. She still wanted Corrin to be pleased with her and to hear her confirm her skill was a soothing balm on Kory's soul. She blushed with a smile. "T-Thank you, master."

Corrin nodded, never seeming to show any emotion and clapped her hand on Kory's shoulder before addressing the rest of the class calling an end to the days training. Kory wasted no time sprinting off to retrieve Kuro from her class.

She stopped at the door, ready to enter when she heard that voice. The same tone of voice Kuro used before she killed Ffon and his friends. That almost too calm voice of perkiness that no Sith truly had. "Do get out of my way, I am meeting my sister for lunch in a few minutes."

"I've been sent by my master, Darth Skotia. He isn't too keen on Lord Zash getting not only one but two apprentices. He demands you cease these actions." She heard a male voice say.

"Interesting." Kuro said with a chipper smile. "He doesn't want his vassals to have apprentices and yet he sends three of his own to prevent that." A giggle and then a much darker yet still distinct friendly tone. "He must be a fool."

"How dare you! Darth Skotia is twice the Sith Zash is!" Came another voice a female this time.

Kory could just hear the mirthful smile as Kuro replied. "Oh is he? Perhaps, but is he twice the Sith I am?"

"What do you..." The question was broken off by a fleshy squelching snap, then the sounds of liquid hitting the durasteel floors and then screams.

"Oh my, seems I made a mess." Kuro said with a giggle. Kory decided to intervene before anyone could hurt her twi'lek sister. She opened the door and stepped inside the sorcery training room.

On the floor was a headless body, blood spurting from its neck. The head was a messy pulp of mass nearby. There were two others in the room with Kuro the one female and another male, both human.

"Kuro!" Kory called out.

Kuro turned away from her grisly work and smiled brightly at her. "Sister, you're here!" She said and flung herself into Kory's embrace. The human girl hugged her with her one arm and watched the two remaining apprentices with an intense glare. "I was on my way but I made some new friends and they desperately wanted my attention. I'm so sorry."

"Its okay, sis. Are you alright?"

"Of course, though they did call me some mean names like rat tail." Kuro supplied with a crinkled smile.

Kory's glare got even sharper and she gently moved Kuro out of the way. "Oh really?" She asked, using the force to activate all five her lightsabers to hover around her like an avenging demon. "Is this true?" She asked them.

Kuro pouted. "You don't believe me?"

"Of course I do, sis. Guess I just want their conscious to be clear before they die."

The two apprentices of Skotia were terrified out of their minds. First the twi'lek had used the Force without moving a muscle to crush their leaders head to a pulp and rip it off. With a fucking smile! As if they were long lost friends! The twi'lek was insane! Now this human girl, with one arm was going to rip them apart. Who were these mere acolytes?

"If you wish but I think they learned their lesson." Kuro looked at her "friends" and said in overly sweet voice that made them shiver in fear. "Haven't you, friends." It wasn't a question, but they nodded anyway and wasted no time in bolting. Then what happened next would forever haunt the lone survivor. "Oh, but one of you can surely rely a message without the other." The pair turned and screamed in sheer terror when a maniacally grinning Kory descended upon them.

She attacked the male, leaving the female to run, screaming in fear. The commotion attracted many acolytes and trainers alike. They saw Kory and Kuro, walking away from two mutilated bodies. Kuro was skipping around and ahead of Kory, clearly in a good mood. The overseers knew they had to report this. It was against the rules to kill each other within the Academy. A few left to the council elevator to do just that, the smarter ones took one look at Kuro's aura and decided against it. They feared their masters, but they feared Kuro more.

* * *

Kuro smiled pleasantly as she stood before the council. The Sith Sorceress and Kory were summoned by them, interrupting their lunch. She knew why she was here. She knew the rules and she broke them. She also knew they wouldn't do anything to her. She was too important now. She was strong and she would make a fantastic Sith. They knew this. This session was all just a farce but still needed to be done to keep up appearance and take the laws into account.

A large man with a deep voice questioned her. Kuro knew him, Darth Marr. She respected him, he was a powerful warrior and an amazing leader. "Kuroki Kali'ka, we've heard a lot about you."

Kuroki grinned innocently. "Mostly good things I hope?"

Her joke went over the councils head but she felt some mirth from Marr. Her respect was well placed, despite his intimidating armor it seemed he didn't actually have a stick up his ass. "Indeed." He said. "But to the matter at hand. You are accused of killing fellow acolytes in the Academy. Not once, but twice. As you know this is a grave offense."

Kuro laughed, actually laughed at the council and the serious situation. She didn't care, she had shed her fear long ago. Nothing would terrify her ever again. The council would be no different. "Yep I had heard that. Didn't stop me though. Am I not allowed to defend myself, Masters?"

Marr frowned at the girls brazen display if nonchalance. Was she not afraid? She was before the strongest Sith in the galaxy. She was special indeed. "Explain, if you would." He said calmly in that deep baritone voice that was actually quite soothing to the young twi'lek.

"Certainly, my lord. Anything for you." She flirted with a wink. Marr raised a brow at this but said nothing. "Let's see the first time was because I was raped by said fellow acolytes." She said. "Not a fan of that I must say. Very messy. Kinda gross too." She shrugged, pacing slowly around the council room as each council member listened. Some were there in person, others on holo.

She saw the snarls on some of their faces, notably the females of the group. She knew they would understand at least. Sexism at its finest it would seem. The others not so much but they did find this information unwelcome. "So I used the Force," Kuro continued and threw her arms in the air and then to the side and exclaimed, "and blew them up." She laughed, a little too happily. This didn't go unnoticed by the council. "Well only one of them. There five of them. Used Kory's lightsabers on two." She threw her arm in Kory's direction. The girl had summoned as well but stood on the sidelines.

Suddenly Kory's five lightsabers shot from her belt and surrounded Kuro and ignited, the red beams bathing her in a sinister light. Kuro grinned, her eyes taking on an insane glint. "Whoosh I cut them up like so." She manipulated the sabers to mimic their actions during that day, slicing and dicing a little too close to some of the council members. They tensed and reached for their weapons but as soon as the action started it was over and the sabers returned to Kory's belt. "The other two were more fun, I put one to sleep, to show what they had done to me. But instead of them killing me they left me alive. So to make an example I put one asleep and crushed his heart into the floor with a claw." She hooked her hand into a claw and growled playfully. "I showed him what he should have done. Him being Ffon, he's the one who started all this, anyway the other I used the Force to increase gravity around him and crushed his body to a bloody pulp." She giggled again. "That turned out to be messy. Didn't really think that far ahead." She said tapping a finger on her lip in contemplation. She shrugged.

Then her smile grew darker than normal and it was clear to the council that Kuro's playful attitude was all a front to something much darker underneath. "I saved Ffon for last. He took the last bit of innocent first, giving my hatred a power boost if you will. So I gave him what he wanted. Power." She tapped her lower lip again in thought. "Maybe a little too much cause he exploded. Hmm never did shower in a rain of blood before." Another titter. "That was fun. So that's about it for that one."

To say the council were shocked and disturbed would be an understatement. Kuro had told and shown them some of her power. And to use it in such a way was...unnerving and yet exciting. Another Sith spoke, Kuro didn't know her name. "Amazing." She said in awe then asked. "And the second instance? It was reported to happen a few hours ago."

Kuro smiled at the woman, her eyes piercing her soul and the Dark council member tensed. "Seems a Darth named Skotia doesn't like my mother Zash, so he sent apprentices to kill me. So technically on that one I didn't do anything wrong."

"Wait... Zash is your mother?" Said another Darth. His confusion was clear. Kuro and Zash weren't even the same species much less related.

Kuro shrugged. "She is to me. She knew my real mother. You know. The one I had to kill at the sacrifice trial." She said, looking at each Dark council member with a sudden hatred, though her smile never wavered. "Yeah, that one. Guess I was wanting a replacement. You should always have a mother and father figure, right?"

All was quiet for a time and Kuro waited patiently, knowing nothing would happen. She was proven correct. Darth Marr spoke once more. "I see no reason to punish her for her actions. Both instances were in self defense. Do we agree?" Most agreed, a few disagreed, stating that she still broke the rules and needed to be punish. Kuro just grinned at them, stroking her lekku with one hand out of habit recently. Seeing as majority supported her that left them no choice however. "This meeting is over. Kuroki Kali'ka, you may go."

"Thank you, my lords." She bowed once for the men. "My lady lords." She bowed again for the women, throwing in a wink before leaving with a more pronounced sway to her hips. The tight pants and open jacket with crop top leaving little to the imagination.

Kuro left with a very relieved Kory. As soon as they clear and alone in the hall with no one but the Sith imperial guards, Kory sagged. "Shit that was scary."

The twi'lek laughed and sauntered on, flipping her lekku in nonchalance. "For you maybe. Come on, sis I'm still hungry. We were interrupted after all."

Kory shook her head and followed. "By the Force you are insane." Kuro's loud laughter reverberated through the narrow halls as the two acolytes descending with the elevator.

Ashara was bored. While she didn't mind history and certainly saw its uses, that didn't stop her from disliking it. Important? Yes. Important to her? Not at all. Just leave that to the scholars. Give her a weapon and practice dummy any day. Yet here she was, listening to Master Ryen drone on about the fall of Taris. She tuned him out and thought about her beautiful Sith. Her eyes glazed over as she remembered their last encounter.

* * *

 _**Ashara straddled Kuro** **'** **s lap nuzzling her cheek into the red skin of** **t** **he Sith** **'** **s neck. The twi'lek** **'** **s arms were** **securely** **around her waist and Ashara was content. She was so glad their "fight" had not destroyed them. Instead they continued on from there getting more physical with each encounter. Neither dared to get** **t** **oo intimate with each other. While they were sure they** **would** **both enjoy such a union they wanted to seek each other in the physical realm and** **proceed** **from there. Besides it** **wasn't** **like they had any experience in such acts and it was** **embarrassing** **to say the least. In Kuro's case she didn** **'** **t think she was ready for any love making, not after her first experience with sex which was hardly considered love making.**_

 _ **Instead the two enjoyed the physical closeness and warmth the other provided from their dreams. With each passing night they could feel their connection grow. With their emotions out in the open and their fears put to rest the two had no reason to hold back.**_

 _ **Kuro kissed Ashara's temple and played with the togruta's lekku. Ashara let out tiny whimpers of pleasure at the caresses and the kisses her Sith Force-mate was giving her sent shivers down her spine. She had never felt this good in her entire life and she almost craved more of Kuro's touch, but she knew she wasn't ready for anything deeper yet, maybe one day she would be.**_

 _ **"You let out such cute sounds, my little Jedi." Kuro teased.**_

 _ **Ashara pouted. "I'm hardly a Jedi." The togruta liked this playful side of Kuro. The twi'lek laughed giving her goosebumps along Ashara's skin. Thankfully not the terror inducing kind. Kuro told her about her little adventure to the Dark council and the apprentice assassins that put her there, all in vivid detail. Ashara wouldn't lie and say that didn't scare her because it did. No matter how she looked at it, Kuro seemed insane. But despite that, she didn't care. She would love the insane Kuro. If she truly was insane of course. "Oh, so you're not denying that you make such cute noises?"**_

 _ **The Jedi blushed and hid her face from a giggling Sith. Despite her embarrassment she answered. "I'm not cute."**_

 _ **She felt fingers under her chin, lifting her face to meet Kuro's eyes. She felt tears of happiness in her eyes at the look she was receiving. It was a look of complete and unconditional love for her. "You are too cute. Your small stature. "Kuro traced Asharas thin and slightly shorter, yet toned body. Eliciting even more shivers of desire. "Your cute face." Kuro placed a kiss on Ashara's nose then each cheek then finally her lips. "Not to mention how ticklish you are." Kuro said, a playfully dark glint in her eyes.**_

 _ **Ashara's eyes widened at the realization. "Oh no, don't you dare..."**_

 _ **"Oh yes, I dare." Came the reply, then Kuro attacked, flipping them over to pin Ashara to the ground and began tickling her sides. If there was any one regret Ashara had was telling Kuro about her vulnerabilities. Ashara laughed uncontrollably, trying to stop her attacker. Kuro giggled maniacally along with her. "Foolish, Ashara. Never reveal your secrets to your enemy."**_

 _ **Ashara knew she was right. While it was a playful and lighthearted statement, the togruta sensed an inner struggle from the Sith. She would ask as soon as she stopped this torture. "P-Please stop K-Kuro. It hurts." She said in between laughs.**_

 _ **"Then why are you laughing?" Kuro teased.**_

 _ **"B-because you won't s-stop." She answered, twisting and wriggling to break free. "Please..."**_

 _ **Kuro chuckled and showed her lover mercy. Wouldn't want to hurt the poor girl after all. "Alright, alright." She sat up but stayed on Ashara's hips, gazing down at her heaving chest. She licked her lips, desperately wanting to touch, but refrained. Her hands were stained and she was broken and soiled. Filthy and tarnished. She frowned, where had all this self hate come from? She was content with who she was...right?**_

 _ **Ashara noticed the change in her lover and sat up, the roles reversed. "Kuro, love. Tell me what's troubling you? Please don't shut me out." She pleaded.**_

 _ **Kuro nodded though didn't know how to explain this sudden self loathing. But she tried. "I...I don't deserve you. I'm tarnished. A ruined and filthy byproduct of sickness. I kill people for fun! You know what I've done..." She paused but Ashara let her finish, to get it all out. "I just don't understand how the Force could put someone like you, someone so loving, caring of other people, with someone like me. A murderer, a monster, a used and discarded fuck toy!" Kuro shook her head, noting the tears and hating how weak she still was. She tried to hide by cuddling close to her love, burrowing her face in Ashara's chest.**_

 _ **Ashara sighed sadly, stroking Kuro's back and trying to soothe her. "It's okay, Kuro. I do know what you've done and I still love you."**_

 _ **"But why? Why would you love a monster?" She said against Ashara's neck.**_

 _ **Ashara chuckled and kissed Kuro's forehead. "I wont lie to you Kuro. You can be a little monstrous and that scares me sometimes." Kuro tensed bit Ashara kissed her again. "But that's okay. The Jedi teach that killing is wrong or a last resort and we should try to solve problems without violence. But sometimes I don't think that's the right call. Does that make me a bad person? I don't think so. Take a look at you and really think about it. The first people you killed was because you had to survive, for your mother, right?" Kuro nodded, still not looking up. "Right. Its terrible but you had no choice. Then they taught you to torture as a means of interrogation. You came to enjoy it only because you were exposed to it at such a young age...I think."**_

 _ **Kuro had to giggle at Ashara's surprising wisdom and making it sound like she didn't know what she was talking about. Ashara grumbled and poked Kuro's side. "I'm not finished. Anyway, the next time you killed was because...of that. I think that anyone would want to get revenge if they had a means to do so. Then after that a Darth thought he could assassinate you and you defended yourself. My point is, you haven't really done anything monstrous other than torture."**_

 _ **Kuro frowned and said. "Ashara...I enjoy it. I like that I can kill and torture. I like their screams. I love their pain."**_

 _ **Ashara shrugged. "I know. But I think that's only because you want to remove threats to your loved ones, right?"**_

 _ **Kuro hesitantly nodded. Come to think of it the only reason she jumped into these techniques was because she didn't want to be weak so she could protect those worth protecting as well as herself. "Maybe you're right."**_

 _ **Ashara laughed. "Of course I am. I'm a genius."**_

 _ **Kuro smirked. "At being a brute maybe."**_

 _ **"Hey that's not fair! Its not my fault I'm so good at bashing things." Ashara pouted.**_

 _ **"Genetics then?" Kuro continued to tease, suddenly in a much better mood. Ashara always knew just what to say to make Kuro smile again. And it was only the togruta that Kuro would show her insecurities too. As much as she loved Kory and Zash not even they would see this side of her.**_

 _ **"Perhaps, I did have an ancestor who...well he went to the dark side." Ashara admitted. She had been told to keep it a secret but she couldn't keep secrets from Kuro. That was the other reason she was sent to Taris, her ancestor was haunting some Jedi ruins.**_

 _ **"So the winning side." Kuro jabbed.**_

 _ **"Oh, shut up you." Came Ashara's half-hearted parry. The two giggled and fell into silence just to enjoy each others presence. Tomorrow would be another trying day but for now they relaxed together. Always together.**_

"Ashara!"Came a really loud voice right next to her. She squeaked and jumped and feel off her chair. The class laughed good-naturedly and she grumbled and sat up, seeing Master Ryen above her. She smiled sheepishly. "Care to explain what it was I was talking about?" He asked, knowing she didn't have the answer.

"Uh." She looked around, trying to remember.

"That's what I thought, please try to pay attention, Padawan. This is important."

She frowned and got back into her seat. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." He rambled on again and Ashara once more tuned out, thinking about her Sith lover.

* * *

 **Imperial Station: Black Talon**

Kuro and Kory were on their way to Dromund Kaas as ordered by their new master Lord Zash. The two were happy to be Zash apprentices and glad to be done with their training. They arrived timid and scared children and left strong and powerful women. Sometimes it was hard to imagine. During her training Kuro never expected to survive her training and even make it to adulthood. But here she was.

Alive, strong and with her loved ones.

For Kory it was unexpected as well. Everyone viewed her as weak when she was a child. They still did after she lost her arm. But she proved herself their better. Her harassers, the sneering acolytes were dead, but she was alive and stronger for it.

What was also unexpected was the giant of beast standing in the shuttle with them. The beast was a dashade, a being that devoured the essence of the Force via Force users. Khem Val was this ones name and he had served Tulak Hord himself. Kuro found him in Tulak Hord's tomb. She had explored almost all the tombs and ruins during her training and found some very useful things but nothing more useful than a beast resistant to the Force. After besting him in battle Kuro gained an actual servant. Though aggravated, Khem would serve faithfully as he had with Tulak Hord.

The other unexpected thing Kuro took away from her training was the holocron. After scouring it with Zash, she had found the location of the dashade which is why she had him in the first place when someone else didn't. Then she learned of a ritual that could increase her Force sensitivity, effectively increasing her overall power. Zash had expressed that this was something she was looking for. Kuro could see why, it was a powerful ritual anyone would want to get their hands on, and it was Kuro's because she had the foresight to learn and discover it instead focus solely on training.

There were other things she could learn inside and she had read them on her own time. History, personal diary entries of sorts, lightsaber techniques, Force techniques and much more. It would take

Kuro a life time to learn it all and she was up to the challenge. But first, Dromund Kaas.

The shuttle ride from Korriban took them to Vaiken Space Dock where they could procure a ship to take them to Dromund Kaas, and the only one going there was a ship named _The Black Talon_.

 _The Black Talon_ wasn't set to leave for another few hours so Kuro and Kory, along with Khem, explored the space station, the former two having never been to one. It was like a city and the women looked around in awe. "So many people." Kory observed, fiddling with her cloak. She was both thankful and resentful of the thing. It was a gift from Corrin and it effectively concealed not only her many lightsabers but her missing arm as well. Kory hated it and loved it for those reasons. She didn't want to hide her handicap, she didn't mind proving her strength to those stupid enough to assume a one armed woman would be a push over. But she had to admit its effectiveness. At least no one stared.

Kuro immersed herself in the many sights and sounds of the station and she had to admit it was both exciting and boring at the same time. Exciting because it was a new experience and she always did love space and space ships. Space stations included. Boring because it was monotonous. Nothing actually happened here, just hourly business. No fights, nothing to learn, and nothing to do. It was a nice sight seeing place but not much else to her. She shrugged and pointed out the cantina. "I'm hungry." She said simply and made her way to the cantina lounge in the very center of the space station.

"You're always hungry." Kory teased as she followed. Then she looked at their monster friend.

"Probably not as much as Khem though."

Kuro giggled and Khem growled. "Master, why did you abandon me to this fate." He lamented.

"Oh don't worry, Khemie. I seem to have people who hate me very much so you can get all the food you want." Kuro appeased her grumbling monster. "Would you like that? Oh yes you would. Who's a good dashade?" She teased as if talking to a puppy.

"Do not mock me, little sith!" He growled, Kuro only laughed. As if the giant eight foot monster was nothing but a baby Akk dog.

"I'm sorry." She said as she sat at a booth. "You just make it so easy, Khemie. Don't be so serious all the time."

Kory clapped her hand on the dashade's muscular arm. "Yeah relax, big guy. You're out of that prison and on the hunt once again. Live a little." Kory added, sitting next to her sister and began ordering something from the holo menu.

Khem just grunted and loomed nearby, ignoring his two annoying companions. He was a warrior, it was all he knew. He had to take things seriously...Tulak Hord took things seriously. This little Sith was weak and when she was at her most vulnerable he would consume her and then...and then, what? She was all he had now and like it or not he was stuck. He sighed again as he watched the little sith and sister eat their meals, talking and laughing.

That is until a squad of Imperial soldiers in black armor, headed by a female imperial officer with silver hair came up to them. The officer bowed at the waist and wasted no time explaining herself. "My lord, my apologizes for interrupting your meal but I have been notified by Lord Zash to ensure you made it aboard _T_ _he Black Talon_. I am Lieutenant Sylas of the Black Talon, I have come to escort you."

Kuro was at a loss for words. She didn't expect Zash to go this far on ensuring her arrival too Dromund Kaas. She was making up for her decisions at the Academy. Kuro smiled a pleasant smile. "I see, well I appreciate the escort, Miss Sylas. But...I'm no Sith lord, just a mere apprentice."

Sylas smiled. She could tell she would like this Sith. She seemed well-mannered and polite and was the first Sith to not refer to her by title alone. "I see, My lord. I shall take note of that. When you are ready we may proceed." Sylas said diplomatically.

Kuro had to giggle, this woman was smart. "Very well, lead the way, Miss." She said, paying for the meal and following her entourage with Kory and Khem.

 _The Black Talon_ was a beautiful ship, but not a military ship, as Sylas explained during her tour. Regardless, Kuro was giddy. She was bouncing as she walked, taking in all that she could. Sylas had to constantly fight a smile at the young woman's infatuation. "This is so cool! Kory did you see the…." Kuro began but before she could enter into a babble of the nerds, Kory stopped her.

With a roll of her eyes she droned. "Yes I saw the reactor, yes I saw the weapons system, and yes I saw everything you saw."

Kuro pouted. "Why do you have to ruin my fun?"

"Because someone needs to keep you in line." Kory said with a grin.

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

Kuro sighed and flopped on a couch in the lounge room, a smile back on her face as she realized she was actually on a star ship. Then it occurred to her that this was Zash's plan all along. To let her experience a luxury frigate and enjoy her time on a star ship. Currently she, Kory and Khem were in a lounging room, just taking a break from their tour. She invaded Kory's personal space and lay her head on the humans lap, her lekku draped in front of her. Kory, completely used to Kuro's cuddly personality when they were alone, played gently with one of her lekku, sending delightful shocks of pleasure through Kuro's body. Their positions would look intimate to anyone who happened to look upon them but the two women knew their was nothing sexual about it. Just two sisters enjoying a closeness not many people actually shared.

It wasn't long, likely minutes though Kuro wasn't keeping track, that Sylas came into the room. The lieutenant stood at attention, not permitting herself to sit when in the presence of two Sith. "My lords, is everything to your liking?" She asked with a polite smile.

Kuro yawned like a content kitten and snuggled further into Kory's stomach. The human Sith laughed and pet her head. "Well, if that content yawn was anything to go by I'd say everything is fantastic."

Sylas grinned. "Quite."

Kuro eventually fell asleep, once again being swept to her mind to see her Force-mate once more. Kory stared down at her sister for a time, thinking back on how far they had come. It still came as a surprise, but a welcome one. "You can sit you know." She said to Sylas without looking up. Focusing instead on the contours of Kuro's face. They softened so much during sleep, all the practiced expressions and emotions washed away to form a genuine peaceful expression.

"Thank you, my lord. I didn't want to presume." The LT sat down on a single chair across from the Sith, her posture relaxing.

"Why do you call us that? Speak freely, Sylas, you're among friends here." Kory said with a reassuring smile. It was obvious how tense the military were with their Sith partners. Sylas was no exception. All respect and flowery words to appease their volatile masters.

"Friends, hm?" She retorted with a smile. "That would be lovely to have such friends. Anyway, I call you that because that is what you are." She answered simply.

Kory was confused. "But, why? Kuro and I are just apprentices, _new_ apprentices. We just left Korriban as a matter of fact. I'm sure Lord Zash told you some things."

Sylas nodded. "She has. She has also told me to treat you two with the respect reserved of a Darth."

"She did?"

"Yes. She must care about you two very much. I've met plenty of Sith and not many of them care about their apprentices or their masters, but you three….There is love there."

Kory, at first, didn't believe that Zash cared so much about Kuro. She thought she was just invested in her future apprentice. The one she wanted. It was well known Lords and Darth's chose a certain type of apprentice for themselves. Ones they could manipulate, but ones that were smart and powerful enough to do their bidding. But now she thought back to all the times she had seen Zash at their training sessions, watching Kuro, watching out for her. Many Lords wouldn't even bother with their apprentices until their training was done. But not Zash.

Kory realized she had been silent for a while and looked up at the older woman, and smiled. "Yeah, I guess there is."

* * *

 _ **This was different. This dreaming was different. She was in a place she had never been, not that that was anything new. The planet was dark, and rotted looking. Lakes of what looked like waste were everywhere. She could smell the disease infesting the planet and it made her sick. Why was she here? It was simple. That was where Ashara was. Instead of Ashara coming to Kuro like she always had in the past, Kuro sought out Ashara. Kuro watched from afar, watching her Force-mate. Ashara was the only beauty in these plague lands. She looked so….cool to her, garbed in a white Jedi jacket and matching pants. She was bouncing on her booted heels, eagerly waiting for Kuro to come over to her. The Sith smiled and sauntered over, an extra sway to her hips, her own jacket swaying to the movements and opening each time to reveal her bare stomach. Kuro found she enjoyed wearing so little clothing now, if only to tease her Jedi, the tube top did it's job wonderfully. She caught Ashara staring at her voluptuous chest and toned stomach. As Kuro came up to her she said. "My eyes are up here, my sweet Jedi."**_

 _ **Ashara blushed and looked up into Kuro's purple eyes. They were half-lidded and staring at her with such an intense want, a desperate NEED that Ashara could not look away from. "H-Hi again, Kuro." She said lamely.**_

 _ **The Sorceress giggled and snaked her arms around the Jedi, gently cradling her body into her own. "Hello, Ashara. I missed you."**_

 _ **"I missed you too. How are you?"**_

 _ **"Good, actually. Kory and I are headed to Dromund Kaas to meet up with my new master. Thankfully it's Zash." Kuro said with a smile. "We're apprentices now, our miserable training is over and I can be with the ones I care about without having to look over my shoulder every two seconds."**_

 _ **Ashara beamed at her. "That's great! I'm so proud of you. I know it wasn't easy but you've proven yourself by living through it."**_

 _ **Kuro nodded. "Yes, despite all the terrible things, I am better for it. Anyway, what about you, beautiful?"**_

 _ **Ashara smiled at the term of endearment and laid her head against Kuro's shoulder. The togruta came to love how tall Kuro was, it was easy to snuggle standing up and they just seemed to fit so perfectly against each other. As she answered her Force-mate she lifted her hands and played with their lekku, letting them touch other and intertwining them together in their own lovers embrace. "I'm on Taris, as you know. I'm a padawan. I suppose it's the equivalent of an apprentice." She scoffed then. "My masters, Ryen and Ocera, brought me here to teach me about compassion midst the destruction of Taris during a war that was held here. They say I'm too prideful, too emotional. They keep warning me of the dangers of the dark side." Kuro had to laugh at that, Ashara smiled with her. If only her masters knew they she was with a Sith every night for fourteen years. "I know, a silly thing to worry about considering the company I keep."**_

 _ **"Good company, I hope." Kuro teased.**_

 _ **"Perfect company, love." Ashara amended with a gentle smile. "Anyway, I also need to finish the last of my trials, or at least, so my masters say. I have to drive away a dark ghost from some ruins of a Jedi enclave. But that's not for a little while yet, I suppose. I never left the Jedi base here yet, they won't let me, not alone at least." Ashara sighed. "I just can't take it anymore, Kuro. Why am I not good enough for them? I've proven myself haven't I? I can fight, I know the Jedi Code, I know the history, I meditate, I do everything they say but It's never enough." She grumbled firmly against her lover.**_

 _ **The Sith soothed her lover, stroking their intertwined lekku. She felt and saw the shivers run through Ashara. "I don't know, beautiful. As far as I'm concerned you're a better Jedi than they are. Stuffy, emotionless drones."**_

 _ **Ashara sighed, she didn't want to get into this again. They had talked about their separate sides of the Force before and it almost lead to a big fight. "There is a reason for that, Kuro." She said simply.**_

 _ **Kuro wasn't having it though. She moved Ashara just enough to see in her eyes again and said firmly. "I know the reason. They are afraid. Afraid of their emotions. Afraid that love, that hate, fear, anger, happiness, sadness all of it will destroy them somehow. Look at me Ashara. I let my emotions run free, I don't feel fear. What do I have to fear? I'm strong, I've proven it. I have family, people I love and I would do anything to keep them safe. Do you're Jedi do the same?" Kuro asked. Ashara frowned sadly and looked away, giving Kuro all the answers she needed. "Exactly. They don't act. They don't help despite what they say. They 'can't get involved' right? Jedi are cowards, Ashara. You are not. They are trying to take away what makes you, you. Don't let them. If something makes you mad, express it. If you love someone, show it. If you hate some one….show it. Emotions make you stronger, not weaker. They fear what they don't understand."**_

 _ **Ashara shook her head, trying to believe what Kuro was saying, but she couldn't. At least not all of it. "You're wrong, Kuro. Please, let's drop this. I don't want to fight."**_

 _ **The Sith sighed and hugged her again. "I'm sorry, I don't want to fight either. It just makes me so angry, at how they treat you. They may not be cruel like my trainers and overseers were, but they are abusing you in their own way." Kuro paused for a moment. "Do you want to know something?"**_

 _ **"What is it?" She whispered against Kuro's breast.**_

 _ **"Zash taught me a lot. Rituals, techniques and Force meditation and things like that. But she also taught something I value more than those." She paused again, looking for the right words. "She taught me….that there is balance in all things. She believes that the Sith and Jedi are just two sides to a whole. I felt something when she told me that, something so deep inside that I knew it had to be the Force speaking to me. I knew she was right. The Jedi way isn't the right way, but the Sith are also not the right way. Somewhere in the middle is the correct path. You and me, Ashara. We just have to find it and walk it together."**_

* * *

The peace that had settled when Kuro slept was short lived when two more people entered the room, neither of which were staff. The first was a female Sith Pureblood, red skinned and red eyed with black hair in a tail style and a perpetual blank, bordering glaring look. She was garbed in heavy Sith warrior armor and cloaked hood. The armor was built for protection rather than speed. Her heavy durasteel boots clanked loudly on the durasteel starship flooring, the resulting noise aggravating a dozing Kuro. She flipped over on Kory's lap to see who was bothering her.

The second figure was a female as well, but a twi'lek with blue skin, blue eyes and petite frame. She was garbed in light, almost casual clothing. The most notable thing about her was that around her neck was a slave collar. Instantly Kuro tensed and an almost twisted smile spread across her lips. "Hello there, would you mind keeping it down please?"

If the tall and dangerous looking Pureblood heard her she gave no indication. She just walked past her and sat heavily on another couch, the twi'lek following and sitting on the same couch, though further away. It was clear the two were not close friends.

Kory watched all of this, having a feeling she had meet the tall Sith before, but had never seen the twi'lek before. She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look. The Sith woman turned her cloaked face just enough for Kory to recognize her. "Yoko?" She asked, tentatively.

The woman reacted and looked her way. It was indeed Yoko Yoru, the same Sith she had fought against a few years ago in a duel. Kory grinned and eased Kuro off her lap and stood up, walking over to the Sith. She could see the woman tense but otherwise didn't move. "What a coincidence, what are you doing here?" She looked at the twi'lek and nodded. "I haven't seen you before, though. You a friend of hers?"

The twi'lek smirked. "To be fair I haven't seen you before either." She quipped. Kory was caught off guard at the but laughed, finding that the petite twi'lek had a point. "My name is Vette, and yeah, me the Sith are great friends! Right?" Vette exclaimed proudly, though it was ruined when Yoko didn't say anything, only stared. Vette sighed.

Who were these people to Kory? Kuro thought. "Friends of yours, Kory?" Kuro asked in that overly happy and polite tone that Kory knew was far from happy. The human woman tensed a little but tried to relax.

The human woman turned to her sister and smiled reassuringly. "Not quite friends per se, more….acquaintances? I sparred with Yoko during training. Shes like a Force forsaken mountain. The woman wouldn't….probably couldn't back down."

"I see. For someone to be able to go head on with you they must be pretty strong." Kuro observed the silent woman, wondering if she could actually talk at all. Then she looked at Vette and the slave collar again and thought better of her statement. Internally she frowned, but her appearance was that of a friendly observer. "Though….to hide behind a slave collar with your companion must mean you're not very strong at all." This, somehow, got a reaction out of Yoko. She was on her feet instantly and right in Kuro's face. She had the harshest of glares Kuro had ever seen but she wasn't scared. She only smiled and tilted her head in question. "Am I wrong?"

"Dead wrong." Yoko voiced. It was deep and husky but clearly meant for a female's vocal cords.

Kuro giggled. "Dead wrong….interesting. To get such a rise out of you with such simple words, must mean there is more here than a simple control issue."

Yoko bristled at the thought and moved to strangle the obnoxious red skinned tw'lek. Her hands got to her throat but didn't close around them, no matter how hard she actually tried. Yoko's glare turning into confusion and she look the twi'lek in the eye. The sight unnerved even her. Kuro was smiling, her eyes crinkled slightly in mirth. But she could see something behind them, a malevolence not even she was capable of. "Hit the nail on the head, didn't I?" Kuro looked to their two companions and giggled. Vette was worried, whether for herself or for Yoko, the red skinned twi'lek couldn't quite tell. Kory was tense and waiting. She looked behind her, suddenly realizing that Khem has been awfully quite. He was leaning against the wall, arms folded and watching everything with a glare. She just winked at him and turned back to her situation. "I see you are really quiet most of the time. Is that because you are afraid to speak? Afraid that you will lose control of your emotions and get yourself killed in a situation….not unlike this?" Kuro giggled and leaning in close, her lips right next to Yoko's ear. "You may be able to hold your own physically against Kory, the strongest Sith Warrior I've ever known, and I've read about a lot of them. But against me?" Abruptly Yoko was shot back into the bulkhead behind Vette, who let out a startled scream as she jumped out of the way. "Against me you are like a fly in a storm. You can't possibly measure up."

Kory took that moment to intervene. While she wanted to make sure Kuro was safe, and judging by the current situation she was hardly in any danger. She also didn't want her new friend to be killed. "Kuro, please release her. I think she gets the point and….she's my friend."

Kuro titled her head with a soft smile. "Friend? I thought she was just an acquaintance?"

"She is….but I'd like to be her friend. Come on, sis you know how hard it was for us during training right? No friends, no one to rely on but each other. Training is over, we can start living for ourselves now, more or less. I want to make friends. Please, Kuro. I can understand what you're trying to do but please stop." Kory begged.

The sorceress apprentice sighed and released Yoko, she dropped onto the couch where she had been sitting previously and glared at Kuro, but otherwise didn't move. Kuro believed that to be a wise choice and showed she did have some measure of control. "As you wish, sister. I wouldn't want to make you sad." She said with a giggle and pat Kory's cheek and went to sit down at her own couch. She sprawled on it and added to no one in particular but everyone knew it was aimed at Yoko. "Ah to be bound by such a device, to be used and tormented at the will of the master. How pitiful." She sighed, remembering her own encounter with a device similar to the slave collar. "Better to be a free bird who can flap their wings and express their very nature than be bound by such misery." With those cryptic words she went silent and tried to doze.

Kory frowned sadly, knowing the words were in remembrance of her rape. She turned to Yoko and glared. "You're strong, Yoko. You could be stronger with actual allies and friends instead of slaves. Slaves don't care about you, and why should they? Friends and loved ones do, they make you strong, not the other way around. For her sake and yours, take that fucking thing off." She almost snarled at the slave collar.

Yoko glared and frowned, her eyes flicking to the collar around Vette's neck. It wasn't like she put it there, why were they so against it? It gave her control over the energetic little twi'lek who would most assuredly stab her in her sleep. It was to protect herself. She shook her head and settled back into her seat, flipping her hood over her head to cover her face.

Kory snarled and went to take care of the problem herself. No one should be bound and controlled, if there was one thing Kuro and Kory agreed on it was that any form of total control over another was the ultimate evil in the galaxy. "Stand up, Vette. I'll take it off." Vette was about to do so when Yoko snatched Kory's hand pushed her away. Kory glared and righted herself, her lightsabers activating. "Gonna do this the hard way, huh? Fine." Yoko had her own at the ready and the two paired off ready to fight. Just as they were about to lunge for the other, Kuro laughed. It was a mad sounding laugh and chilled everyone in the room.

She stood up from the couch and grinned at Yoko. Seeing the kind of look she was receiving put Yoko on edge. Involuntarily she backed away. "You want to fight? Fight against doing the right thing? You, who was rushed through training, skipped so much of what made someone strong?" In a flash Kuro was on Yoko, their faces inches a part. Yoko hadn't even seen the twi'lek move. Kuro giggled in her face. "You don't know what strong is. You are weak, weaker than anything I've ever seen. Hiding behind a slave collar for control. Too afraid of a petite twi'lek who's done nothing to you? Why would she? What does have to gain by killing you in your sleep if she never had a slave collar on? Thats' right. Nothing. But because she does, whats to stop her from doing so? You? Who can't even trust?" Kuro shook her head and reached to the Force, pushing Yoko once more into the bulkhead. Holding her there with nothing but her eyes. "Kory, be a dear and remove that slave collar."

Kory swallowed and quickly did as she was told. Removing the collar and crushing the device under her boots. Vette expressed her gratitude. "T-thanks. Um, you're not gonna kill her are you?"

The Sorceress looked at the little twi'lek, that insane glint in her eye telling Vette she was going to do just that. "I don't see why not? Shouldn't you be happy, you'll be free you know."

Vette looked between Kuro and Yoko debating in her mind what to do. Finally she shook her head. "Please don't. She's not a bad person." She begged, meekly.

This actually surprised Kuro enough that she dropped her hold on the Sith juggernaut. Thankfully Yoko didn't try anything, Kory was guarding her sister and was a force to be reckoned with on her own. She couldn't handle both of them. Vette went to Yoko's side and helped her stand. "Not a bad person? She was going to keep control of you with that collar and shes not a bad person?" Kory asked, perplexed. "That doesn't make sense."

Vette shrugged. "She didn't put it on me. The Overseers on Korriban did." She said in defense of the Sith warrior. Yoko glanced at her under her hood, wondering why she was coming to her defense.

"Maybe so but she didn't take it off so she's just as guilty." Kuro added, lowering her stance and sighing. This was such a hassle. She lay back down on the couch, fully at ease with an angry juggernaut in the room.

"True but she never used. She had plenty of reasons and opportunities to, but she never did. Even when I was prodding her to do just that. She's not a bad person!" Vette said firmly, standing at Yoko's side.

Kuro was watching them, trying to figure out. She searched with the Force and found a link. A link between the two and she smiled, a genuine smile. "I see." She said. Vette may not sense it but Yoko probably did. Yoko wouldn't hurt the twi'lek. She couldn't, the Force wouldn't let her. "Well that explains so much. Congratulations, Warrior. You may have something to look forward to after all." She shot a grin at the confused pair and just settled back into the couch to rest some more. "Well, if that's all I'm gonna get some more sleep. Night!"

Kory went back to her sister, seeing that danger had passed. Yoko and Vette hesitantly took their seats once more, now sitting just a bit closer. No one spoke are did anything, soon lost in their own small worlds. Not long after, Lieutenant Sylas come to check in on them. She feel the tension but decided it best not to get involved. Kory joined the LT and the chatted for a while, before Sylas left, throwing a smile and wink at the young human, who blushed and smiled. Kory was sure she was going to enjoy the rest of the trip now that the drama was done.

* * *

 **AN: Okay, that's all I got for this chapter. Hope it was good, let me know what you think.**


	5. Dromund Kaas: Reunion and Recovery

AN: **Peeks out from the hermit lair. Sees no one and frowns. "Well I guess I was expecting this after so damn long. Im just gonna leave this here" Plops a new chapter onto the Hermit Lair of Reading** **and goes back inside to possible make a new chapter…..or just play more video games.**

* * *

Ashara lay on her bed, awake and thinking. It had been hours since she had awoken from the dream realm that held her lover. She thought about what they had said to each other, a part of her mind always going to the feelings and emotions she received. She loved every moment of them and would never want them to change. But she found herself thinking and what was said. The Jedi path and Sith path. Neither were correct? Could it be true? Was there something more out there that was a better path? She could see the logic in it of course. The two sides constantly fought each other, history had proven this and she realized they would continue to do so until one obliterated the other or….they choose a different path.

Her thinking was getting her no where, she was just more and more confused now. So with a heavy sigh she dragged herself out of bed and got ready for another day of lectures and boring meditation. She hadn't lied to Kuro when she said she understood almost everything she had been taught, however that didn't mean she enjoyed a lot of it. She was a fighter by nature, her skills in the lightsaber forms and dueling proved that. But she wasn't a brute like Kuro often teased. Ashara was smart, she liked understanding the secrets of the Force, finding new things about it, new avenues to pursue. Maybe that was why she thought so much about what Kuro said. That there was actually a third option than just Jedi or Sith made her curious. Unfortunately that would have to wait. She was running late to her class with Ryen and Ocera and a few of her classmates.

She sighed again as she walked down the hall, she missed Aya, she missed Shi'ara and Kira and all her friends on Tython. It was moments like these that she hated her situation. She always felt alone now, always new people to meet and never get close to. It was….dismal and lonely. She really wished she would meet Kuro in the real world. Be with her on a daily basis, maybe then the loneliness would go away.

She arrived a little late to the small class that was gathered outside the Jedi encampment. They were in the wilds of Taris, learning about the devastation and history here. It was so incredibly dull that she couldn't help but zone out, though she did what was asked and kept her holocron open to record and take notes on the lecture. As Master Ryen drawled on about how Darth Malak had bombarded the planet, leaving it in it's current state, Ashara let her mind drift back to Kuro and the dream world, wishing she were there, instead of here.

* * *

Dromund Kaas was a very dreary planet with constant rain fall and very little sun. But Kuro loved it all the same, it was her home for six years before she was taken to Korriban. She loved the sound of the rain as it fell and hit various objects, giving off a symphony of sounds that would lull her to sleep at nights. She loved the lack of sun, it was never too bright and it was never too dark during the day. It gave the world a beauty all it's own and she couldn't wait to get back to it.

The Black Talon stayed in orbit around the planet, the two Sith and their Dashade bodyguard were getting on a shuttle saying their good byes. Kuro found it amusing that Kory and Sylas had gotten pretty close during their trip. Well, close was an understatement. Affair seemed more appropriate. Honestly, she had no idea where this sudden lustful interest came from but she couldn't begrudge her sister a little intimacy, Force know they had been lacking that since training started.

 _Their second day in route, Kuro sensed her sister and Sylas together, making some….very loud and very naughty noises in the Lieutenants private quarters. Kuro had been wandering the halls during "night time" on the ship when she felt something shift in the Force. It was about her sister and she followed her sisters Force presence to the LT's room. Inside was a very entertaining sight. Sweaty bodies, pleasured faces and entangling limbs. "Oh my…." Kuro said, announcing her presence an amused and equally sadistic smile. The effect was immediate. They both shot their eyes to the grinning Sith and almost shot apart, as if shocked. "What have we here? Cradle robbing, Lieutenant? Naughty naughty."_

 _"K-Kuro!" Kory exclaimed. "Can't you knock?"_

 _"And surprise my sister and her lover? Of course not. It's more fun this way." Kuro retorted with that maniacal grin and slightly wider eyed stare, that held a certain amount of insanity behind them. "I hope you had fun."_

 _Kory blushed and covered a now trembling Sylas with her bed covers and stood before Kuro, unashamed of showing off her own body. It wasn't the first time the two had seen each other naked and wouldn't be the last. "Kuro, what are you doing here?" Kory demanded angrily._

 _Kuro was still grinning at Sylas. "Oh….just wanting to see my dear sister, then imagine my surprise when I find her in the arms….or rather between the legs of a very beautiful woman."_

 _"Kuro! Enough!" Kory snarled, getting in her sisters face. "You're scaring her and you better stop or so help me, I'll beat your red ass back to Korriban!"_

 _That snapped Kuro out of it. Her smile dropped into a more polite one and her eyes moved away from Sylas. "You would hurt you're older sister? That hurts my feelings, you know." She said and cupped Kory's cheek. "I'm just looking out for you."_

 _It was then Kory understood why Kuro reacted the way she did. She wanted to make sure Kory was actually a will participant instead of a victim. Kory sighed. "Thank you, Kuro but I'm fine….we both wanted it. You know how it is right? Fourteen years of training, not one bit of any kind of fun or companionship. We're adults now! Women! We have needs that haven't been meet in Force knows how long!"_

 _Kuro's entire being softened and she giggle and pat Kory's cheek. "I see. Well, I do apologize for interrupting." She looked at Sylas again and the LT felt relief when it wasn't the insane look she was getting earlier. "Forgive me, Lieutenant. I hope you understand my reasons."_

 _"Of course, my Lord. I didn't mean to..." She began._

 _"You don't need to apologize." Kuro interrupted kindly and stepped away from the two, heading for the door. Her grin returned, with mischievous vengeance. "However I do hope you can continue. My sister is a very lovely woman and she has a lot of pent up sexual frustration that needs some good, loving female hands to satisfy her with. I better hear some banshee screams, or you're doing it wrong." She teased as she left the room._

 _"KURO!" The Sith cackled madly as she walked down the hall, hearing her sister scream her name in anger and humiliation._

So it was with unrestrained giddiness that Kuro said farewell to the Lieutenant who, for her part, felt incredibly awkward and embarrassed. "It was a _pleasure_ to fly with you, Sylas" Kuro said, with emphasis. "I hope we can _come_ again sometime." Another emphasis.

Kory sighed with a blush. "Kuro….please."

The twi'lek looked at her sister innocently, a knowing smile on her face. "What?"

"Please stop."

"That's not what I heard." Kuro teased again. Sometimes, it was just too much fun and Kory made it way too easy.

"Ugh! I hate you!" Kory exclaimed ducking into the shuttle.

Kuro giggle madly and turned to Sylas again, leaning in close. Sylas tensed but didn't move. "Tell me honestly, did you make her scream?" She whispered.

Sylas' face caught fire and she looked away, giving Kuro her answer. "Fantastic!" She kissed the blushing older woman on the cheek and headed to the shuttle. "Take care, Lieutenant, my sister may want another round." She said, loudly enough for her and what few crew were there to hear.

"By the Force." A blushing Sylas sighed, hiding her face with her hands. "I take it back….I hate that woman."

"Another round for what ma'am?" Said a curious female ensign.

"Nothing! Get back to your station!" She ordered and stalked away. She swore she could hear cackling coming from the shuttle as it took off.

* * *

"Ah, home sweet home." Kuro said as she skipped out of the shuttle bay. She looked behind at her lagging sister. Kuro pouted. "Ah come now, dear sister. I said I was sorry."

Kory glared at her, tugging her cloak and cowl tighter around her to hide from her sister. "Nerf shit! You weren't sorry." She spat.

The twi'lek was surprised at this response. She hadn't been that bad had she? "Kory…."

"Save it!" She snapped. "That was supposed to be special. I really liked her and you had to ruin it! I hate you so much right now." She growled.

Kuro frowned, a look of hurt spreading across her face. Did she really screw up that bad. "Was she….your Force-mate?"

It was Kory's turn to be confused. "My what?"

"Was she the one the Force brought you too, whispered to you that she was your other half?" Kuro explained patiently.

"No?" Kory answered though it was more a question than anything. What was a Force-mate?

"You never researched this?" Kuro asked, surprised.

"No! What the hell is a force mate?"

With a sigh, Kuro began to explain as the walked away from the shuttle. "A Force-mate is someone you have a certain….connection to with the Force. It's a little hard to explain but….They are someone your very soul is seeking. The Force just helps you find them. Force sensitives seem to be the only ones who can feel it, others aren't so lucky. So if you didn't feel anything incredibly special with Sylas than she wasn't your Force-mate."

Kory took in this new information. A Force-mate? For her? She didn't feel anything like that with Sylas but she did know she liked the woman. Was it just lust or a moment of weakness? Perhaps a need or desire that Sylas was willing to participate in? Either way it didn't matter to her, she didn't regret it and she did enjoy it. Until her sister ruined it. "No, she wasn't that. Doesn't mean I didn't like her or didn't want it with her though, Kuro. You shouldn't have done that."

"You're right and I'm sorry. I know you'll forgive me in time, it's what sisters do but I promise not to do something like that again." Kuro said sincerely regretful of her actions.

"Good." Was all Kory responded with, a glare for added effect.

Thankfully for the human nothing else was said, for at that moment a large cyborg blocked their path. Two trandoshans flanked him and hissed. "So, you're Kuroki Kali'ka. Zash's new apprentice." Said the tall robotic man.

Kuro looked at him, and that familiar feeling of deadly seething calm came over her. She smiled that half lidded smile. "You must be Skotia." She looked him up and down, noting his very numerous cybernetics. "Hm…. You look silly." She giggled, a hand covering her mouth, mirth in her eyes.

Skotia snarled and got in her face. "Get out of my way, worm. You are nothing compared to me."

"Oh I must disagree with that statement, silly machine." Kuro retorted with a smile.

She looked him in the eye and he noticed something that his apprentice, the only one that came back alive, had said to him. _"It was like she was staring into your soul, stripping you down to nothing….S-She's a monster."_ Skotia could see it, the demon within. It chilled what was left of his organic body.

"Now, if you excuse me. I have a master I must be getting to. It was so nice meeting you, I hope we can meet again soon." She told him, her tone leaving the impression of promise of that happening and Skotia knew that next time it was going to be as "friendly" as this conversation was. For once he felt fear and it was from a mere apprentice. She walked around him, throwing him a wink, and left. Kory glared at the man as she passed by, also not intimidated in the least, Khem trailing them behind.

The two Sith apprentices and Dashade got on the elevator. Kuro was surprised when Khem spoke. He hadn't spoken since the space port. "You should have killed him, little Sith. He had no respect for you."

Kuro smiled at her monster friend. "Aw, you do care, Khem." Khem Val just grunted and looked away. "Maybe you're right. I could have tried. Zash may have approved personally but it would do nothing but cause problems. Now isn't the time, my Dashade friend. Soon, perhaps." Then she got curious. "Are you hungry, Khem? Could you eat him?"

Khem thought for a moment. Yes he was hungry and hadn't feed in a while, not since….he couldn't even remember. Then he shook his head and actually made a joke. "No, not him….metal is not good for the digestion."

It was so surprising that Kuro snorted out a laugh and leaned against the Dashade. "Wow….who knew you could make jokes."

Khem grunted again. "What was it you said….live a little?"

"I believe that was Kory who said that but yes. Very good, Khem. There is hope for you yet." She said, then added. In that degrading tone. "Who's a good Dashade?"

Khem growled but decided, just this once, to play along. With a defeated sigh he said. "Me…."

"Yes you are, oh yes you are, such a good boy." Kuro said, patting him on the arm affectionately.

Khem rolled his eyes. He couldn't wait to eat something. This woman was driving him crazy.

* * *

"Kuro!" Zash exclaimed just as her apprentice came into the room. She was out of her desk and swooping down on the surprised twi'lek, engulfing her in a tight hug. "Thank goodness you're alright. I heard what happened at the docks. Skotia didn't do anything to you did he?" She asked, then suddenly snarled and began pacing. "Damn him! Sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. He could have hurt you."

Kuro was pleasantly surprised at Zash's worry. It warmed her heart. She came up behind the woman and hugged her, a happy smile on her face. "Mother, relax. Everything is fine, I'm okay." She said.

Zash sighed and nodded. "Good, good." She returned the hug and pulled away, only slightly, taking a moment to calm herself. "Now, before we get down to business and for why I wanted you two here I…." She paused, not sure how to go about this. She was nervous and didn't know how Kuro was going to react. It could end….disastrously. "I….need to show you something." She looked at the human apprentice and with a gentle smile said. "Kory, do you mind if I leave you here for a little while? Feel free to take a look around, enjoy the city?"

Kory bowed in response. "Of course, my Lord. I need a break from this insufferable sister of mine anyway."

"What did she do this time?" Zash asked with a sigh.

Kuro just smiled innocently. "Nothing."

"Nothing, my ass."

The Sith Lord shook her blonde head. "Kory, I would like all the details later."

Kory smirked at her sister and said. "Of course, Master."

Kuro pouted and crossed her arms. "I didn't do anything." She insisted childishly.

"I'm sure. Now come along. I have something important to show you." Zash dragged Kuro out of the room and led her down the hall the twi'lek had just come from. Kuro followed, wondering where they were going and why without Kory and her Dashade. She refrained from asking. She would get her answer in time.

Kuro was surprised when Zash took her outside the Imperial Citadel and to a transport speeder. Kuro frowned in confusion but still didn't ask, even though the desire was stronger. Zash piloted the speeder over Kaas City to the residental zone. Kuro was getting nervous. She recognized this place, though it had become hazy from her stay on Korriban. She recognized the route they were taking, the neighborhood. She frowned. This was where she used to live with her mother…..her home. Why was Zash taking her here?

Zash set down the speeder, jumping and motioning for Kuro to follow. The apprentice did, getting more and more nervous. Something wasn't right. The twi'lek followed her master to her old home. There was the swing her and her mother played together on. The garden they grew some vegetables in. The tree she would climb everyday just to prove she could, and her favorite place, the window seats they would sit at and read together.

She wanted to glare, snarl and snap, but kept her expression passive, small smile included. It wasnt all fake. This place was nothing but good memories and it was a balm on her soul. They walked up to the door, she saw her little carving in the corner of a nexu cat. Kuro smiled at it before looking at Zash, who continued to avoid eye contact. It was the look of the guilty, the ashamed and Kuro found her repressed anger rising to the surface once again. The Sith Lord knocked and waited. Moments passed and the door opened.

Kuro could now confirm that she had gone insane. There stood her mother, alive as can be, smiling at her. Within moments she went back to being a child, as if her torment any training was a thing of the past. "Mommy?" she asked, uncertain at who she was seeing. Her voice trembled and was that of her child self. "Mommy, what….."

"It's me, sweetheart." She said with a smile. "I've missed you so much."

She couldn't believe it. This had to be a lie right? Another test maybe? What more could Zash do to torment her!? She done everything to her already! Physically, mentally, spiritually! Kuro was damn sure she was clinically insane because of her trials! Now a being of her past was in front of her again, seemingly alive. She just couldn't believe it, not without proof. So she took a deep breathe and struggled out the words. "Don't. Lie. To. Me." Her anger was back, just below the surface. She didn't rant, she didn't scream or shout. She didn't violently lash out in a physical tirade. She just looked at her two mothers with a calm countenance. "I killed you. They made me do it. I saw myself do it. You can't be real…."

But then, suddenly, it clicked. Everything came rushing back to her. It was little things. Like the fact her mother never called her sweetling, Zash did. The fact that Zash taught her about illusions and how to make people see what they wanted them to see during her training. The guilty looks, the pained eyes. Her mothers death was all a lie, just to break her and craft her into what she was now. Her mind faltered, then shattered. She shifted her eyes to Zash, piercing into her soul. "You were doing so well, Mother." She lamented, almost sadly at yet another betrayal on Zash's part.

Zash looked like she was going to cry. She was shaking and fidgeting. She didn't know what to do now. She didn't want Kuro to hate her, she didn't even know to explain. Zash wasn't suicidal but at that moment all she wanted to do was die for the pain she had caused the young woman she saw as a daughter.

Kanna frowned, she had enough. Kuro was being cruel. Too cruel, she knew Korriban was horrible to see the outcome for herself was something else. She glared at her daughter and lifted her hand and slapped her across the face, for the first time ever. She felt her heart break on impact but she stayed strong. The slap was enough of a shock to Kuro's system that her anger faded and a look of bewilderment took its place. Her mother never hit her. "That is enough, Kuro!" She snapped. She didn't want to do this on the porch, so she grabbed Kuro's wrist and dragged her inside. A meek and broken-hearted Zash following. The door was closed and Kanna ranted at her daughter. "How could you be so cruel to someone who did nothing but make you better in the worst possible situation that was given to you? She watched over you for fourteen years, Kuro! Fourteen years at that dreadful place! She told me everything that had happened. It must have been a nightmare but Zash only cared about making you as strong as possible to survive. Had she not done so, you would be dead and I would have lost a daughter for good!"

Kuro was shaking, staring at her angry mother. The words came and filtered into her mind, she heard them, processed them, then thought back to everything that had happened on Korriban. Every memory was preceded by one thing. One person. Zash was always there. In the background, in her office comforting her, making those plans to strengthen her, watching during her trials, after her sacrifice, being with her after her rape. Zash was always there. Kuro even knew why Zash had done what she did. Saw the logic in it after her training was done. Her mother and Zash were right. She would be dead if Zash had done nothing and how did Kuro treat her? With mistrust, disdain, anger and hatred. None of which she deserved.

Kanna's expression softened but the firm tone remained. "I know it wasn't easy, Kuro. I know everything that happened to you and I wish it hadn't, but it did. Despite how terrible they were it made you stronger, didn't it?"

The Sith apprentice nodded slowly. It did make her stronger. She had power she never would have had before. The power to protect her family, her friends and loved ones. She believed she had created the being of Ashara in her mind, a haven of love for her to retreat to whenever she wanted. She had a sister who loved her and would die fighting to protect her, and now she had two mothers who loved her with all their heart. Despite all the pain and misery, the outcome was something she would never want to change. She could see that now. She continued to shake. "I….It did." She said, her breath hitching and for the first time in years, she cried and dropped to her knees, wailing to the skies and lamenting how terrible a person she had to be to cause so much pain to the ones who only loved her. "I'm so sorry, mommy!"

Zash and Kanna reacted instantly and dropped to the floor with her and cradling their child to their chests, comforting the crying Sith woman. "It's okay, sweetie." Kanna soothed, stroking her daughter's lekku in a comforting gesture she had done often to her sweet one when she was a girl. "It's okay."

The Sith Lord was openly crying, a mixture of sorrow and happiness. Kuro didn't hate her, but was in pain. Both things made her happy and sad respectively. She wished she could take it all back if only to prevent the pain. She wished could have fought all Kuro's battles and kept her safe. But that was the thing about wishing. It was sometimes nice to think about. Of all the ways you could have done something, but they wouldn't always be the correct decision. Zash knew had she done any of those things, Kuro would be weak, would have died and her and Kanna would never have been reunited. That, of course, didn't mean she enjoyed doing what she had to do. "I am sorry, Kuro. I only did what I felt was best. I love you and your mother, sweetling. I knew it was the best way to kick start everything, if you were to 'kill her'." Kuro shook her head, not wanting to think about it. Not wanting to see the light leave her mothers eyes. So she just clung to her mother, missing her warmth.

The apprentice was reunited with her mother, for that she was happy. The pain of betrayal wasn't likely to go away any time soon, and the trust she had in Zash would be hindered. But Kuro would try her best, she knew she had to. Despite everything, she still loved Zash. It was just….instinctual. She could feel it deep inside that Zash was meant to be in her life. She had already hurt them enough. Even if she was hurt in the first place, the red skinned twi'lek would put her all into keeping her relationship with her master and second mother alive.

* * *

Kory paced in Zash's office. She hadn't left, despite Zash saying she could. She was too pent up now. She may have hated what Kuro had done on the Black Talon but she was her sister and the feelings of apprehension came rushing back once she was gone from sight. She couldn't help but worry and wonder what would happen to her. Was she okay? Was she hurt? Did someone attack them? Did someone….rape her again? It was the last thought that always got to her the most. She snarled and paced like a caged animal. She should have followed them, watched from the shadows. Kuro was important to her, damn it! She should have….

She was interrupted from her thoughts when Kuro and Zash returned, along with another woman Kory had never seen. Her eyes zeroed on Kuro first, however and what she saw made her blood boil. Kuro had been crying. Kuro never cried not after…. She growled at Zash and sprang to her sister, engulfing her in a one armed hug. Kuro didn't fight it, only welcomed it, her family was together now. "What happened to her?!" She demanded. She didn't care that Zash was supposed to be her master. Didn't care what this other woman would think of her acting this way, she wanted answers. "Answer me!"

Zash didn't take it personally, though it was hard not to. She was this girls master and she deserved more respect than she was being given. But she deserved the anger. She felt it was her fault that Kuro was in pain to begin with. Before she could answer, however, Kuro spoke first. Her tone was light, even happy and had that same playfulness she had heard many times before. "It's okay, little sis. Just some emotional stuff, you know. Not a big deal, I'm okay." Kuro reassured her sister. "Good to know you still care." She added, reminding Kory that she was supposed to be angry with her.

Kory huffed and almost shoved her away. Instead she just let her go and stepped away, now embarrassed for reacting so strongly. "Of course I do." She mumbled. Kuro just grinned and gave her sister a loving smile.

"Well now that we are all calmed down. Kory, I want to introduce you to my mother, Kanna." She gestured to the other woman in the room. Now that Kory was under control and took a look at her she recognized Kanna from the description Kuro had given her. Blue skin, blue eyes, kind smile and motherly aura.

"Wait….what? Didn't you…." Kory didn't want to finish the sentence but everyone knew what she was talking about.

Kuro shrugged, as if it didn't bother her. "That's what I thought, but Zash pulled off a little Sith magic and gave the illusion that I killed her."

"What?!" Kory snarled, glaring hatefully at her master, her hand reaching for her lightsaber instinctively. She liked Zash, she really did but what kind of monster does that to a little girl? Make them believe they killed someone and then just reunite them as if nothing even happened. "How could you…."

"Kory." Kuro said firmly. "Enough."

"But…."

"It's fine. It's been talked over, emotions have been dealt with. I love you too, little sister, but you don't need to protect me, not from this." Kuro explained, her usual jovial tone replaced with a firm finality that anyone would have listened to and obeyed. Kory was no different. She frowned, she didn't like it but she would honor Kuro's wishes, so she nodded, but glared, looking away from the three women. "Thank you." Kuro smiled, letting her sister vent in her own.

Kanna stepped forward, a little hesitantly towards the one armed woman and looked her over. Kanna thought she was cute, despite her apparent anger issues and wasn't surprised that Kuro found a good friend in her. Her vehement defense said everything about their relationship. "Hello, Kory. I'm Kanna, Kuroki's mother. It's nice to meet you, sweetie." She said. Kory was about to lift her arm for a hand shake in greeting but was shocked when Kanna just stepped forward and wrapped her up in a firm hug. "You're her sister, hm? Well I always did want another child." Kanna teased. Kory was wide eyed and looked to Kuro for help. The twi'lek was smiling and didn't interfere. So Kory just placed her arm around Kanna and gave a hesitant hug in return, only then did Kanna pull away.

Zash sighed in relief, now that things had calmed down. She truly regretted every pain she had caused her lover and her daughter, now matter how necessary it was, but she couldn't take it back now. So she looked to the future, and more importantly the present. "Kuro, I...have something else to tell you." Zash announced hesitantly.

Kuro looked doubtful and rightfully suspicious, but she nodded. Kory didn't hold anything back at the announcement, she glared at the older woman, as if daring her to harm her sister again. Kanna supported her love, after she was given an imploring gaze. Gently hugging the shorter woman from behind, kissing her cheek, cementing her presence.

"I know you don't really trust me, and I don't blame you. I wouldn't either in your position. But I have come across something I wanted to share with you. Have you heard about the Force-Sensitivity Ritual?" Kuro was intrigued, while she had not heard of such a thing, she was always interested in rituals and more secrets of power, she said as such. Zash smiled. "It is a ritual to increase your Force sensitivity, basically increasing your power permanently. I….had been looking for it since you were taken to Korriban. So I could fulfill my promise."

"What promise?" Kuro asked in confusion.

It was her mother who answered. "I made her promise to look out for you. Keep you safe." As weird as it seemed to her at the moment, Kuro couldn't deny how good her mother and Zash looked together.

"That's right. Though, I couldn't do anything directly, not without jeopardizing my success of having you as an apprentice. So instead I planted ideas in Harkon's head. Most of the trials you and Kory had to undergo were my suggestion. I'm sorry if they caused you pain, but it was the only way." Zash smiled, hoping for forgiveness. She wasn't naive enough to think that Kuro would have forgiven her at Kanna's home so easily. Her forgiveness wouldn't be for a while yet.

The twi'lek apprentice thought over this information. She looked away from the gathered individual's and got lost in her own mind. She wouldn't say it, not yet, but she had forgiven Zash. Even if she didn't it would only be a matter of time before she did. She couldn't stay mad at them, if only for her mother's happiness. But this ritual Zash had found. A permanent increase in Force power? She would have to be a fool to decline such a gift. Kuro was no fool, so she liked to think. But how was it performed? What items were needed? If any. Where did it need to be performed? And how strong was it exactly? All these questions needed to be thought through. "I see, thank you for such a gift, mother. What do we have to do?"

Zash smiled at the acceptance and explained as she walked over to her desk and sat down, Kanna stood behind her. Hands on her shoulders, gently rubbing them. "First and foremost we need to remove Darth Skotia from his position. He has access to a vast array of knowledge that I can not get to. Should I even ask he would want to know why I wanted this information and what I was going to do with it. Given his hatred for me, and consequently you, he would never agree. Besides….I really despise that man."

Kuro slowly paced in front of Zash's desk as she explained. "Destroy Skotia. Should be simple enough."

The Sith Lord shook her head. "Not so simple, Kuro. Despite what you may think he is very powerful. The title of Darth are reserved for the truly strong in the dark side. He has more experience in fighting than you. More Force knowledge not to mention two trandoshan body guards that are known to have killed Force users before. This will not be easy."

Kuro shrugged, completely un-phased. "So we don't give him a fair fight. Remove his bodyguards, by force or…." Kuro paused then grinned. She knew of trandoshan's and to hear they were working for Skotia was surprising. They would only do so if he had something of theirs they needed but Skotia would be unwilling to return. Something important to their culture. Giggling almost madly she informed the curious group. "The trandoshan's won't be an issue. Neither will he. He's more machine than man right? So we just disable his cybernetics, giving us the advantage over him. Without his bodyguards or powerful machines he won't stand a chance against me, Kory and my Khemie." She said, throwing the pet name to the Dashade, who was in a corner far away from the four women. Khem growled and crossed his arms, not looking at them. Kuro cackled and then grinned at her family. "Simple."

Kanna was astounded. Kuro had come up with a plan in matter of seconds on how to deal with a Sith she had no knowledge of. She had not only gotten more powerful, but intelligent as well. Zash was grinning, Kuro had always been a smart child, quick to adapt. "Yes. You seem to have everything under control. Two more things, Kuro." The twi'lek woman nodded, eager to get to work. "First: Kanna and I can not be anywhere near you or Skotia when the time comes to remove him. It would be too much of a risk and could easily be led back to me. Not only would I not take his place and become Darth, I would no longer be a Lord. In fact I would be quite dead. Kanna as well, and you and Kory too." Kuro nodded, expecting as much. Besides, it didn't matter to her. She wanted to kill Skotia for insulting Zash the way he had and for sending assassins after her. This would be personal. "Now secondly: I have another gift for you. Something a bit more material."

At those words, Kuro's eyes lit up and she began to bounce in place. Kanna giggled, glad she had not lost that child like innocence when it came to gifts. Kory rolled her eyes trying to resist the lop-sided smile that threatened to form, and smacked her sister on the arm. "You know I was beginning to think you had actually grown up." Kuro just stuck her tongue out at the human, who chuckled in response.

"Yes, I know you love your gifts, sweetling. This one, however, I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy. Come, I will take you to it." Zash said with a smile. She stood, took Kanna's hand, who moved to link arms with the Sith, and left her office. Kuro followed eagerly and Kory trailed behind with Khem.

* * *

Kory was beyond amused. Kuro's gift had turned out to be a starship. The _Fury_ class as a matter of fact, a very top of line the starship. It carried the firepower of dreadnought but the speed and agility of a fighter ship. At the sight of it, Kuro had stopped dead in her tracks, easily putting the pieces together to know this black and red ship was hers. She had been standing at the docking bay's door, staring at her ship for the last thirty minutes. She hadn't moved a muscle, nor dropped the stupefied look on her face. Kory laughed again when she looked over, seeing she still hadn't move. "I think you broke her, my lord."

Zash and Kanna were equally amused. "Perhaps I have. Well, at least I know she likes it. I have been making connections for the last fourteen years to get it."

Kuro suddenly snapped out of it. "Like it? I love it! Thank you so much, I love you!" She launched herself at the blonde human and hugged her tightly.

The Sith Lord hugged her back, just as tightly but couldn't help but tease her surrogate daughter. "Good to know material possessions is all it takes for you to love me again."

"W-What? It's not like that!" Kuro objecting, trying to apologize. "It's just….it's a starship!"

"But isn't it?" Kanna chimed in, hugging her daughter from behind. Kuro had grown but she still wasn't as tall as her mother. "Only hours before you were rather upset with us and now it's 'I love you'?"

Kuro pouted and glared at her sister, who was laughing at her expense. "It's not like that. I just….really like starships." Despite being the object of everyone's humor, Kuro was immensely happy for the gift. "But truly, thank you, mother. I really do love it, though I don't really deserve it."

The blonde human shook her head. "Maybe you do, maybe you don't. Either way that isnt up to you. I wanted you to have it. Regardless. the fact is you will need it for taking down Skotia."

At this Kuro frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"You've already pieced it together, Kuro." Zash reminded. "The trandoshan tablet that Skotia has in order to keep his pets in line is in a rather secure vault on Alderaan. House Thul will help you get it. Also, to rid him of his cybernetics you will need a disruptor. Balmorra should have something of that sort. Being a weapon's factory planet it shouldn't be hard to find one. Since these things are obviously on other planets. You'll need a ship." Zash gestured to the _Fury_ with a smirk.

"Clever. Always one step ahead aren't you, my lord?" Kuro said with a smirk of her own.

"You would be surprised, sweetling." Zash retorted, a knowing smile snaked its way onto her lips. "Now then, feel free to explore the ship. I do have some business I need to get to. Kanna, would you care to join me?"

"Certainly, my love." Kanna left Kuro's side, not before giving her daughter a loving kiss on the head, and hooked her arm through Zash's and left. The twi'lek apprentice watched them go. Seeing the way her mother latched onto Zash, to see how close they fit their bodies together made Kuro yearn for her own Force-mate. Maybe she would take a nap after her exploration of the ship.

"Well, come on, sister. Let's go." Kory said, grabbing Kuro's hand and dragging her off to the ship.

Kuro lay on her new bed aboard the _Fury_ , just enjoying the silence and comfort of the silken sheets beneath her. It was safe to say she loved everything about the ship. It was spacious and practical. Black and red colors that Kuro felt like home in. She had checked over the systems. There was so much power underneath her. The firepower, the engine power, it was all intoxicating. Kuro lay upon a moving destroyer, completely at ease and at home. Finally a dream she had as a child had come true. Living life among the stars. She wanted to enjoy it, and who better to enjoy it with than her Force-mate. She closed her eyes, a small and content smile gracing her lips, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 _**She opened her eyes and she was still in her bed, but she knew she was dreaming, because Ashara was there, laying half next to her and half on top of her. Their lekku were intertwined and the togruta was nuzzling Kuro's bare neck. Kuro smiled and wrapped her arms around the seemingly slumbering Jedi. "It's about time you showed up." Ashara mumbled sleepily.**_

 _ **Kuro giggled. "Sorry, hard to find the time to sleep when you get a brand new starship as a gift from your mothers."**_

 _ **Ashara opened her eyes and looked around, seeing the interior of the ship and Kuro's private quarters. She smiled in return. "It's homey. Maybe a little to dark and dreary for my tastes but so long as it's where you are it feels like home."**_

 _ **The Sith blushed and looked away in embarrassment. She didn't think she would ever get used to Ashara's compliments, too used to insults and mockery than sweet words of honey. "That's….good. Home is where the heart is right?" Kuro grinned, looking back at her lover.**_

 _ **"Yes, I can agree to that." Ashara stretched carefully, mindful to not pull on their twisted together lekku. "So, anything new, love?"**_

 _ **"A few things, yes." Kuro nodded. "Remember my real mother I told you about." Ashara nodding in the positive. "She….wasn't dead. Zash had created an illusion on Korriban all those years ago making me think it was her. Making me think I killed my….my mommy." Kuro paused, the emotions she had been holding and hiding from her family coming to the front of her mind. Silents tears slipped down her cheeks. Ashara noticed and positioned herself carefully to embrace her emotional Force- mate, offering comfort. "She made me think she was dead for fourteen years. Then she takes me away to see her again, as if nothing had happened." Kuro grit her teeth, trying to keep the rising anger inside. She had to control it, she never wanted to lash out in anger, especially not when Ashara was near. "She hurt me so much, Ashara and the worst part of it all is I have already forgiven her!"**_

 _ **Ashara smiled gently and kissed her lovers tears away. "I know it may not be what you want to hear. But I'm glad you forgave her….I'm proud that you have. I remember you telling me about her. How kind Zash was for a Sith Lord. How loving she was to you and Kory. True feelings don't lie, Kuro."**_

 _ **The Sith looked at the Jedi, seeking more comfort and Ashara was more than happy to give it. "True feelings?"**_

 _ **A nod. "Yes. Zash loves you. I know she told you so herself. I know her actions may not have shown that but you have to look deeper. If Zash didn't care about you, love, you would have died there. I hate thinking it but I am sure of that outcome. People who care about someone generally don't ignore those they claim to love. While it may have been a painful process she made you strong. You have your birth mother with you again. You have Kory and Zash who love you more than anything." Ashara paused and straddled Kuro, laying her full body on top of her lover. Kuro didn't mind the extra weight, it felt amazing to her. Ashara slowly reached out and took hold of Kuro's other lekku and intertwined it with her other free one. "You have me. You will always have me, my darling love."**_

 _ **The tears fell freely, a mix between happiness and sadness. She loved Ashara, so much for what she had done for her, continued to do for her. She loved her so much it made her heart break all the more, knowing she wan't real. Ashara said she was real, but Kuro couldn't believe it, no matter how much she wanted to. For now, she would live her life with her family. Then maybe, when she died, she could be with Ashara for eternity.**_

 _ **"Did you know….my mommy and Zash are lovers?" Kuro said after an hour of silence.**_

 _ **"Oh? I bet that was weird to see." Ashara giggled.**_

 _ **Kuro smiled as she stared at the dark ceiling. "A little, yeah. But the more I think about it, the better that whole idea is. My real mother, in love and with a person who I came to see as another mother. Now I have two."**_

 _ **The togruta smiled. "See? There is balance in everything, right? Everything you went through, and now you have two mothers, Kory, and me."**_

 _ **"Especially you." Kuro looked into Ashara's eyes. "Thank you, Ashara. You mean everything to me and I love you with everything that I am."**_

 _ **Jedi and Sith smiled at each other and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips meet in their own embrace, a soft rhythmic motion of emotions pressing against one another. There was no fight for dominance, no push or pull. Just a gentle touch of two souls becoming one once again.**_

 _ **Then something changed. The kiss became desperate, needing. Ashara couldn't help herself. Seeing Kuro everyday for so long and not being able to have more, it just became too much for the Jedi. She deepened the passion with a fervor she didn't know she possessed**_

 _ **Kuro pulled away just enough to speak. "A-Ashara….stop….I…."**_

 _ **Asara whined, an almost animal like sound. "I can't….I'm sorry." She apologized and latched her lips to Kuro again, swiping her tongue along twi'lek lips, begging for entrance. Ashara was at war within her mind. She desperately wanted this moment with Kuro. Even now she could see the panic in Kuro's eyes, but her lips felt so good she couldn't stop.**_

 _ **In the end she gave in. Kuro was just too much a sweet temptation. She forced her tongue inside Kuro's mouth, deepening the kiss. She wanted to put Kuro at ease, wanted to show her love. She reached up with one hand and gently stroking Kuro's lekku. The Sith moaned and snapped her eyes closed to try and ride out the pleasure she was feeling. The two eventually had to pull away for air. Ashara pulled away first, a few inches apart with a thin trail of saliva between them. "Kuro…." Ashara said hesitantly. It was only now she realized how badly she messed up. "I….**_

 _ **Kuro took in gulps of air, her eyes still closed. It was too much too fast, she could see him. Ffon's eyes boring into her with that sadistic smile, roughly kissing her as he assaulted her again and again. Kuro shook, her breathing becoming labored and difficult. "S-Stop….Stop!" She screamed, curling into herself, her arms hugging her body.**_

 _ **Ashara cursed herself. She knew what happened to Kuro so why did she go so far? She had to fix this. "Kuro, love. It's me, Ashara. He's not here, he's not here. It's just me." She coaxed soothingly, laying her body against Kuro, not on top. She didn't want Kuro to feel like she was trapped. She stroked their lekku, gently, lovingly. "It's always me, Kuro. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."**_

 _ **The gentle, soothing words eventually got through to Kuro and she opened her eyes from the nightmares of the past and looked into the tear filled eyes of Ashara. The Sith breathed evenly and flung her arms around the togruta. "No, Ashara." She cried, hiding her face into Ashara's neck. "I'm sorry."**_

 _ **The Jedi shook her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. If anyone should apologize it should only be me. I went too far."**_

 _ **"I hate this!" The Sith apprentice whispered vehemently. "I hate that I can't do this with you even though I want you so much. I know you would never hurt me like they did, so why?" She cried.**_

 _ **"I don't know, Kuro. All I know is I will always be with you, no matter what. I love you."**_

 _ **Kuro sniffled. "I love you too." She replied, crying for the lost love she may never get to feel, not even in her dreams.**_

* * *

Zash sat in her bed in a silk night gown, Kanna laying against her dozing as the night settled. The Sith Lord was looking over various texts. One was on how to perform the Force-sensitivity ritual. She wanted to do this right, she would be damned if she failed Kuro again. Zash shook her head, careful not to wake her lover. "Never again." She whispered to herself. She studied the ritual and at the same time looked over other rituals that could increase Kuro's power. Zash had always been a strategist and was always one step ahead of her enemies and even some of her friends. Darth Skotia would just be one obstacle in Kuro's way and Zash wanted to be prepared.

She came across several promising texts, but one demanded her attention. A ritual that bound ghosts to the users will and increased their power. It was the Force-Walk Ritual invented by Lord Ergast. It seemed promising, yet dangerous. Lord Ergast had mysteriously faded from his former glory and vanished after binding many ghosts. However this was too promising to pass up. She copied the information to her personal holo device and re-read the Force Sensitivity ritual again for what felt like the hundredth time.

But her mind wandered again. This delving into texts and rituals was so common to her in the past. So much knowledge, so much power behind these words and actions! In another life, without Kanna, Zash was sure she would have chosen a path of destruction. Not only for herself but for others as well. Before she met Kanna Kali'ka, Zash was a secretive and manipulatively cunning woman. She was obsessed with knowledge. She knew without a doubt that if she had not met Kanna, she would have destroyed herself. She had found out what happened to others who had the same craving for knowledge and power. They had performed rituals that would have withered their body, shattered her mind until she was nothing but an old, decrepit shell of a woman who would have descended to madness. Zash shivered at the thought. She would _never_ go down that path, Kanna made her see clearly for the first time in a long time. Then when Kuroki was born…. That cemented it. Zash saw Kuroki as a daughter even if she wasn't the other biological parent and she would do anything and everything in her power to keep Kanna and Kuroki safe.

That alone did not stop her from practicing the dark side of the Force. She just wasn't stupid about it, she was more careful. Careful to not let it consume her, but she still desired power, but not for herself, but for the loves of her life. She would keep them safe. Then she she learned something amazing. The Dark side and the Light side, were _not_ the only choices of the Force. There was a third. A path that she learned was more powerful than either combined, and that was just it. A combination of the Light and the Dark.

She shook her head to clear those thoughts, now wasn't the time for reminiscence. Now, was the time to defeat Skotia without drawing attention to herself. It was another obstacle Zash had to overcome. But it seems even that had to wait. She smiled as Kanna gave a soft snore. She was happy to be reunited with her love again. The secrets and lies could stop and she could be happy with Kanna and tutor their daughters to become promising Sith.

It was then an idea came to her. Now that she was with Kanna again maybe they could have a date around the time Kuro and Kory would be taking care of Skotia. She would have an accurate and honest alibi and no one would be the wiser. The idea appealed to her the more she thought of it, so with a smile she kissed the side of Kanna's lekku. A small moan escaped the twi'lek's lips, and she fell silent again.

A wicked smile graced Zash's lips and she kissed her again, forcefully this time, coaxing Kanna awake. Kanna moaned and her eyes fluttered open. She gasped as Zash reached around gently tugged on Kanna's other lekku. "Mm, Zash."

"I'll never get over how cute you are, and the sounds you make. Beautiful."

Kanna arched her back, pressing her ample breasts into Zash's own. She writhed in pleasure as Zash did not cease her actions. "W-Well, you k-know what your t-touching does to me."

"I do." Zash stopped kissing her lekku and instead latched her lips to Kanna's neck and gave a gentle suck. Kanna's hips bucked as Zash teased another pleasure point of hers. "I also know that I have missed you." The Sith Lord gently pushed Kanna onto her back and straddled her hips. Zash was always secretly glad Kanna went to bed naked, and that that practice didn't stop despite her absence. Zash stripped away her night gown and flung it to the floor. The twi'lek looked up in awe at Zash's body. Despite her age, Zash looked amazing. Zash blushed but smiled. "Stop staring so much."

Kanna giggled and reached up to pull Zash on top of her. "I can't help it, my love, you're just so beautiful." Kanna said, gazing longingly and with adoring want. Smooth blemish-free skin, Shiny blond hair that seemed to shimmer like gold in the light. Her eyes were what Kanna watched the most. It was amazing to see the golden glow of them. She had seen the color in other Sith but they were corrupted. Zash's were not. They glowed brightly as if the Light was behind them as well as the Dark they always left her in awe, They were what Kanna watched the most. The way she could see the happiness and adoration when Zash look at her. _They're so gorgeous! And they glow! Who couldn't love that!?_ Kanna thought. Zash, to Kanna, was the most breath-taking human beauty in the galaxy.

"Thank you, but I'm no twi'lek." Zash countered, albeit bashfully, it always made her heart race when Kanna looked at her like she was a goddess. Yet her own words were honest. To Zash, Kanna was more beautiful. The blue tinted skin that was smooth, almost velvet like to the touch. The heart shaped face, and searing purple eyes. The love and passion that swirled in them always sent a thrill down Zash's spine. It still amazed her, that Kanna was older than Zash by ten years but looked like she had just stepped into her twenties! The long seemingly endless legs that Zash loved to run her hands over, exploring every inch. Her large breasts that could be used as pillows, the human woman loved to lay in them, holding Kanna close as she dozed. The wide child-bearing hips that had Zash sometimes wishing she were a man. The thought of Kanna having her child was a wishful fantasy, but a desired one. The narrow waist, giving her a perfect hourglass figure, that Zash loved to hold onto whenever they danced. Kanna had gotten her into it once and so long as Kanna was her partner she enjoyed it. All in all, Zash had it bad, she struggled to prevent herself from swooning at the mere sight or drool behind her back. She was just perfection.

That was ten years ago, and now? Kanna just kept filling out in all the right places to make her the most beautiful twi'lek the galaxy had ever seen. Zash didn't care how old Kanna got she would still love her no matter what, but to just see how young looking Kanna was. How beautiful and voluptuous her body became the older she got was a mystery that Zash didn't know if she wanted solve.

The twi'lek mother giggled and kissed her lover. "Such a charmer."

"I aim to please."

"Then stop talking, dear."

With a sultry chuckle Zash obliged and kissed Kanna's neck and down to her breasts. She latched onto a nipple and sucked, while her other hand gently kneaded Kanna's other breast. The twi'lek moaned, her eyes closing so she could focus more on Zash's attentions. She missed this. The closeness and loving touches that only Zash could provide. Soon Zash switched attentions, giving Kanna's other breast the same treatment. Kanna bucked and moaned at Zash's skilled hands and lips, she couldn't take it any more and went to move her hand to her core. But Zash put a stop to that, she caught her hand and pinned it to the side, Kanna groaned. "Zash, please."

"Let me. It has been so long since I had a taste of you." If Kanna could blush anymore than she was she would be on fire.

Zash slowly slid down her lovers body and settled between her legs, never breaking eye contact. She kissed legs and thighs, except the one place the twi'lek wanted. "Please stop teasing, Za...AH!" She didn't finish her sentence. At that moment Zash latched onto Kanna's clit and sucked, hard. Kanna clamped a hand around her mouth to muffle her screams and used her other hand to tease her breasts.

The pleasure was intense and all the more glorious being deprived of it for so long. She couldn't even masturbate, it just didn't compare to making love to Zash. Now that they were together again and would likely be seeing a lot more of each other the pleasure only intensified.

For Zash, it was like being denied your favorite treat for years and then finally allowed another taste. Kanna's nectar tasted as sweet as she remembered and Zash couldn't help but suckle, almost violently, at her core, seeking more. She wrapped her arms around Kanna's thighs, pulling her tightly against her face. Zash missed these the most. She never really understood why people gravitated towards the ass on a person. Legs were much more pleasing to the eye for the human Sith Lord. She rubbed on the thighs as she coaxed an orgasm out of her lover, and she was not denied.

The feelings were too much for Kanna. Zash's mouth on her core, the woman's tongue flicking and sucking her clit, the rubbing of her thighs just pushed Kanna over the edge and she came with a muffled scream into Zash's mouth. The Sith Lord greedily lapped up every last drop, prolonging Kanna's orgasm even further. Her orgasm slowly ebbed and she breathed heavily. "Oh, Zash…."

Zash chuckled and crawled up Kanna's body, laying her head on the woman's ample breasts. "Guess I did a good job? By the way, have I ever told you how much I love hearing you say my name?" She bragged as she enjoyed the sound of Kanna's fast beating heart.

Kanna didn't reply at first, too focused on getting her breath back. Finally she said. "Yes, to both." Zash looked up and flashed a cocky grin to which Kanna rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't brag, it's very unbecoming."

"That's not what I just heard." Zash teased cheekily.

"Oh, you." Kanna grumbled with a blush. She huffed and with strength Zash wasn't aware of, flipped them over so Kanna straddled the now submissive human. "My turn, and someone needs to be punished." She said with a devilish glint in her eye. The feelings of smugness quickly drained from the Sith Lord and braced herself for the intensity about to come.

* * *

Ashara awoke, feeling horrible. She couldn't believe she had almost raped her own Force-mate. In her own mind! She was the worst kind of person. Yet she just couldn't help it. Kuro brought forth feelings that she had never dealt with before. Desires she suddenly craved and wanted. Kuro was the most intoxicating presence she had ever experienced. Even more so than Shi'ara and that was saying alot.

Once, like many others, she had an infatuation with Shi'ara. Calling it a crush was an understatement. But it wasn't love either. Complete romantic adoration? Perhaps that was it. Regardless Shi'ara brought about feelings of desire so strong she thought she would jump the human woman every time she saw her. But compared to Kuro? That was nothing. Kuro was in an entirely different level of lust and love that she wasn't prepared to deal with and it hurt that she couldn't even act on those desires. But she had to resist, if only to protect Kuro from Ashara herself.

Ashara groaned, not quite ready to get out of bed and start another boring day of lessons and history. She snuggled under blankets, until she heard a voice that she could never forget. "Well now, I hope my little stalker is feeling well, I would begin to believe I was not welcome, otherwise."

Ashara shot up in bed, forgetting she was topless and stared in shock at the beautiful Barsen'thor, Shi'ara. She was as elegant as ever. Flowing golden blonde hair, gorgeous green eyes and a smile that just completely melted your soul. Shi'ara raised a delicate eyebrow at Ashara's lack of modesty and giggled. Ashara looked down and yelped, covering herself with her blanket. "I-I-I'm sorry." She stuttered.

"Oh my, do not apologize. It is not anything I have not seen before, my little stalker." Shi'ara teased as she sat down in Ashara's desk chair.

The togruta's eyes widen and she shrieked. "You've seen me naked?!"

Shi'ara laughed, covering her mouth with the back of a slender and elegant hand. "Of course not, my dear. My you are just so fun to tease." There was that constant humor Shi'ara had as well, something Ashara loved and hated at the same time. The togruta grumbled, no longer caring if she was naked in front of the perfect human, she jumped out of bed and began to get dressed. "If it makes you feel better you have grown into a very beautiful woman, Ashara."

The togruta Jedi blushed and mumbled a thank you. She sighed and gathered herself. "So….why are you here?"

Shi'ara pouted playfully. "Am I not welcome? My sincerest apologizes. I was in the area and thought to see a good friend."

Ashara groaned. "Shi'ara you know that's not what I meant."

The Barsen'thor giggled. "Of course. I am here for….reasons and let us leave at that. Regardless I did wish to see how you were doing. Still having the dreams? How is Kuroki?"

"Yes and she….she's fine." A pause, then a groan of anguish." No, no she's not fine!" Ashara began to pace, and everything she had kept to herself came rushing out. "I love her, Shi'ara but I can't even touch her and it drives me insane. I'm trying not to be selfish because of what happened to her but she's just so….so…."

"Everything you have ever wanted?" Shi'ara supplied knowingly.

"Exactly. I want to touch her, to kiss her, to make love to her and I can't because it would trigger her...her…. and I don't want to hurt her like that! Argh!" She ranted and finally sagged onto her bed, head in her hands. "Does it make me a bad person for wanting her so badly?" She asked, afraid of the answer especially since she was a Jedi.

Shi'ara stood and sauntered over to her friend and knelt in front of her, placing her hands on the younger woman's knees. "Of course not, Ashara. It means you love her, you desire her. It is a natural feeling and a welcome one, but you have to be patient with her. It will be worth it in the end, trust me." She said with a wink.

"You promise?" Ashara asked, sounding scared and meek. Would it really be worth it? Would everything be alright in the end? Ashara wanted to believe it. She would do anything for Kuro but would a romantic relationship with no sex life be even possible? She had heard of people who were so in love at first but then fall out of it because of a lack of a romantic sex life and Ashara feared that she and Kuro would one of those statistics. Nevermind the Force had connected the two.

"I promise, Ashara. I would never lie to you." Shi'ra promised, then added. "When you two meet, I advise this. Let Kuroki take control. That is what she needs to get over her struggle. Rape is a terrible thing but it is hardly about the sex. It was about control. Ffon wanted to show Kuroki that he was better and so he did something terrible and took away her control and innocence. It takes time to heal, Ashara, but Kuroki will overcome with your help. Let her take back control and she will be more comfortable letting you touch her. Understand?"

Ashara nodded with a smile. "I think so. Thank you, Shi'ara. Why is it you are always there when I need you most?"

Shi'ara smiled mysteriously, adding a finger to her lips and a wink. "Why indeed."


End file.
